CONSTRUCTING CARIBBEAN CHRONOLOGIES: COMPARATIVE RADIOCARBON DATING OF SHELL AND WOOD ARTEFACTS FROM PRE-COLUMBIAN SITES IN CUBA
J. COOPER,
K. D. THOMAS,
J. COOPER
School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
Search for more papers by this authorK. D. THOMAS
Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 31–34 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PY, UK
Search for more papers by this authorJ. COOPER,
K. D. THOMAS,
J. COOPER
School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
Search for more papers by this authorK. D. THOMAS
Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 31–34 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PY, UK
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
The lack of robust chronological frameworks for pre-Columbian archaeology in the Caribbean limits the interpretive potential of ongoing studies of inter-site and inter-island interaction. This paper reviews the dating of 28 wood and shell artefacts from sites in northern Cuba in an attempt to date pre-Columbian activity in the region and develop dating methodologies for the study of pre-Columbian interaction in the Caribbean. This research compares dates from wood and shell artefacts from the waterlogged site of Los Buchillones in north-central Cuba with dates from shell artefacts from sites on eight islands in the Sabana–Camaguey archipelago in the Bahama Channel. In addition to providing a chronological framework based on absolute dates for pre-Columbian activity in northern Cuba, this paper also considers the methodological issues of using shell for dating pre-Columbian activity in the Caribbean.
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