Ancient Caribbean DNA Matches

Although hardly the most sophisticated or reliable method, using Gedmatch's autosomal DNA comparison feature can be entertaining and occasionally useful. In this case, comparing our data to that of around 42 kits of ancient samples was an interesting experience. Indeed, of the 42 ancient samples, we only had matches with 4 individuals, which is significant. All 4 of them, however, were either individuals from Cuba or the Bahamas, surprisingly. We apparently did not share DNA, at least not detectable using Gedmatch, with ancient persons from Puerto Rico and Hispaniola with kits on Gedmatch (that we know of). The dates given for the samples are from undated in one case but the others the woman from Preacher's Cave, in the Bahamas, was the subject of an important article published in 2018 by Hannes Schroeder. According to this study, "Results are consistent with Puerto Ricans and the ancient Taino forming a clade without any significant gene-flow postdivergence." Clearly, the ancient Lucayan woman's genome was similar to that of modern-day Puerto Ricans. Indeed, this study found that Puerto Ricans share large parts of their genome with the ancient "Taino" of the Caribbean. Another study found similarities between the Preacher's Cave sample and precontact Puerto Rico samples in terms of autosomal DNA. These similarities also extend to South American Amazonian groups, such as the Yukpa, Piapoco, Karitiana, and Surui. Furthermore, modern Puerto Ricans harbor mtDNA that is at least partly a reflection of precontact Puerto Rico populations. 

What we find interesting in our matches is the lack of a Puerto Rico or Hispaniola connection. While this is probably, in part, due to the less sophisticated tools and models via Gedmatch, we did match with another ancient "Taino" sample from the Bahamas. On Gedmatch, it is called Kit WE2232796 (*Bahamas Taino Native), with further indication that its test results are from 23andMe. Is this one of their indigenous Caribbean samples the company uses? This person appears to be the same as the Atunwa Inaru, the name given to this ancient woman from the Bahamas. Anyway, we only shared a total of 3 segments, the longest at 3.6 cM. Our total Half-Match segments was 9.7 cM and a total of 458412 SNPs were used, with 47.467 percent fully identical. As one might expect, shared DNA with someone who lived several centuries ago would be low. Yet, with another kit from the same woman from Preacher's Cave, Atunwa Inaru on Gedmatch, we shared a total Half-Match segments of 14 cM, with the largest segment at 6.7 cM of 3 shared segments. 260057 SNPs were used for the comparison with 38.498 percent identical. We assume this match is at least somewhat reliable since geneticists using more sophisticated matches noted similarities in the ancestry of the Preacher's Cave sample and that of modern and ancient Puerto Ricans. We are not sure which of the two kits for the same person are more accurate or reliable, though we'd bet money on the first kit. 

The other two matches, however, remain more problematic. Both are from Cuba, although the date and exact location are unclear. One, called Brizuela on Gedmatch, is supposedly from the 12th century. With that sample, we share one segment at 4.5 cM, but at a lower SNP density. The other sample from Cuba shared even less with us, only 3.8 cM. But, with this Cuban sample, more SNPs and at a higher density. One wonders if these Cuban samples may reflect a 'ceramic' culture whose ancestors included some of the same groups who migrated into the Bahamas from Hispaniola. Or, alternatively, due to the widespread seafaring abilities of the indigenous Caribbean and the lack of evidence for inbreeding in the sample from Preacher's Cave, perhaps some groups found spouses or significant others from distant islands in the archipelago. What we do not understand, however, is our inability to find ancient samples from Hispaniola with whom we share DNA...

The Ancient Kingdoms of Peru

Although it is a little outdated (published in the 1990s), Nigel Davies's The Ancient Kingdoms of Peru provides a nice overview on the history of ancient Peru. Covering the period from the preceramic and Chavin cultures to the Spanish conquest, Davies attempts to elucidate the development of civilizations in Peru (and neighboring areas, to a certain extent) as well as the shifting analysis of these past cultures by archaeologists and historians. Obviously, the lack of a system of writing and records prior to the Spanish period means that most of the book draws from studies by archaeologists who have examined various sites, developed ceramic typologies and chronologies, and have endeavored to understand the nature of political, social, and economic organization. As the author gets closer to the era of the Spanish conquest, written sources from the colonial period become useful, particularly for the Incas and, to a lesser extent, the Chimu state of the coast. Davies masterfully draws upon this vast written corpus when appropriate, although occasionally delving into problematic "language" of "savages" when discussing Indians in Ecuador who opposed Inca expansion. But this probably reflects the time in which the book was published. As a brief introduction to a very complex center of early human civilization, Davies wrote a useful work. He probably did not need to include his critiques of wacky theories of ancient aliens visiting the Nasca, but perhaps a book aimed for a non-specialist audience had to do so to dispel pseudoscientific ideas. Now, we have to find copies of Miguel de Cabello, Cieza de Leon, and other early Spanish sources on Peru for a deeper dive into the precolonial past. 

Juan de Espinosa

Whilst perusing Vilma Benzo de Ferrer's Pasajeros a la Espanola, 1492-1530, we saw that the father of Pedro de Espinosa was a resident in today's Dominican Republic before moving to Puerto Rico with the conquest of that island. Established in the Santiago de Los Caballeros area in 1510, Juan de Espinosa later moved to Puerto Rico, where he was one of the early recipients of an encomienda. According to Vilma Benzo de Ferrer, de Espinosa also received 7 naborias de casa in Santiago (although we thought he was already residing in Puerto Rico by 1514?). It is strange although not surprising to see that a man a huge number of us descend from once lived in Santiago...

Inca Culture at the Time of the Spanish Conquest

Although Rowe's Inca Culture at the Time of the Spanish Conquest was published in the 1940s, some modern scholars have lauded the study as a worthwhile one that still holds up today. As part of a larger project on South America's indigenous peoples, Rowe's relatively short but comprehensive overview of the Inca in the last few centuries before Spanish rule endeavored to cover everything from religious practices to agriculture. Due to the time it was published, before our era's more advanced archaeological methods and technology, Rowe mostly relies on the written sources from the 1500s and 1600s, placing especial esteem for Cobo. El Inca Garcilaso and Blas Valera, especially on matters of religion, were considered less reliable by Rowe. Polo de Ondegardo, interrogations from the governorship of Toledo, and interesting references to Diego Gonzalez Holguin, Cabello, Morua, and others illustrate just how vast the uneven corpus of Spanish sources on the Inca past truly is. It is also noteworthy how some scholars of the present century seem to place more confidence in Blas Valera and even some of the information in the problematic chronicle of Montesinos. In our own opinion, Rowe was perhaps writing too soon to know the type of information available to later scholars on pre-Inca large kingdoms or territories in the highlands. But Rowe's mastery of the relevant source material and attempt to balance it with references drawn from the ethnographic present and archaeology is impressive. For instance, careful examination of the early grammaires and dictionaries of Quechua is indispensable for reconstructing the preconquest past. Thus, our readings in the Inca past have barely scratched the surface.

Joseph-François-de-Sales comte d'Oulry Ingrandes

While perusing Moreau de Saint-Méry's vast encyclopedia, we came across reference to yet another colon who wrote about the island's indigenous peoples. In this case, Joseph-François-de-Sales comte d'Oulry Ingrandes, is said to have composed a mémoires sur les coutumes et les cultes des naturels de Saint-Domingue that may have been lost. This author was also also affiliated with the Cercle des Philadelphes in the colony, and presumably followed and contributed to that scholarly organization's research and collection of indigenous antiquities. What surprised us, however, was this man's marriage to Anne-Barbe Buttet. Anne-Barbe Buttet, daughter of Louis-Marin Buttet, was a cousin of a mixed-race woman who married a Cangé and lived in the Bainet-Jacmel area in the 18th century. Saint-Domingue truly was a small world...

Indian Sites in Haiti

Whilst perusing Moreau de Saint–Méry's well-known Description topographique, physique, civile, politique et historique de la partie française de l'isle Saint Domingue online, we decided to list all the areas of modern-day Haiti he mentioned as containing evidence of the island's indigenous inhabitants, usually bones, pottery, petroglyphs, or tools, or ancient bohio grounds. Several of the areas mentioned by the author are well-known, but, alas, Haiti has not received the degree of archaeological excavations one would like. Below are most of the colonial-era parishes and, when possible, towns or regions in which a pre-Columbian past was evident or deduced by Moreau de Saint–Méry. Needless to say, there were likely other sites not mentioned by the author or unknown to him. Some were possibly located in thr general areas where the Spanish-founded towns in western Hispaniola were established (Yaquimo, Lares de Guahaba, Sabana de Salvatierra, La Yaguana, Puerto Real). For example, a cacique whose named included Miraguana was listed in the 1514 Repartimiento, suggesting the area of Miragoane likely had an Indian population. Furthermore, the area of the lakes east of Port-au-Prince and near the border with the Spanish colony probably hosted a large population in precolonial times. Archaeologists in the 20th century have, of course, identified a number of sites such as En Bas Saline (possibly the site of Guacanagaric's capital) and indigenous villages in La Gonave, Île-à-Vache and Fort-Liberté. 

Plaisance: Indian hatchets, pots, and an indigenous man's head were found in 1727 by Lovet.

Arcahaye: Was a settlement of the Xaragua cacicazgo.

Les Cayes plain: at Habitation Walsh, Indian ceramics found.

Limbé: Petroglyphs carved into a rock described. Indian "fetishes" also sighted near habitation Chabaud.

Vallières: remains of Indian tools found in mountains, as well as the tomb of a cacique identified in 1787 (said to have "hieroglyphics").

L'Acul: Near the Sacquenville sucrerie Indian tombs described, with "fetishes" and shells. 

Aquin: Indian "fetishes" of wood and bones, pots, and shells indicate the presence of a small settlement at Davezac de Castera habitation.

Anse-à-Veau: Caves that seem to have been worked by human hands (ambiguous reference).

Cayes de Jacmel: Peninsula formed by Cascade and La Bioche indicate vestiges of Indian settlements, including tools, cave sites, figures carved out of lambi shell and "fetishes" in the area. Ardouin's geographical work of Haiti also suggests the Spanish worked the mines in this area (iron and copper). 

Grand-Goâve: Habitation Charles had Indian-built retrenchment. A Spanish-period settlement here was destroyed in the 1590s.

Jérémie: Human bones from Indians, Indian remains found in caves. Supposedly an ancient Indian sculpture of stone with 4 women carved in it was discovered as Fonds-Rouges.

Gonaives: Cave site with human bones reported.

Port-à-Piment: vestiges of ancient carbet or Indian home found, with human bones. 

Bainet: Gris-Gris area has evidence of Indian past, human remains found.

Quartier Morin: Indian bones, tools, and fetishes reported. Habitation Duplaa had more.

Léogâne: Fetishes and human figures reported. The French town was founded in the general vicinity of the earlier La Yaguana town of the Spanish colonial period, itself built after the depopulation of Santa Maria de la Vera Paz, the colonial town founded after the destruction of the Xaragua cacicazgo by Ovando. 

Dondon: Voûte-à-Minguet described in detail, site important to indigenous residents.

Petite-Anse: hatchets, Indian "fetishes" found at Bonnet à l'Evêque. Moreau de Saint–Méry believed Guacanagaric's capital was at the site of the town.

Limonade: Indian tools commonly found.

Borgne: Caverns and gorges with human bones, phalluses, vessels and "fetishes" reported. Cave site in area visited by Arthaud in 1777, who took a black cup from the cave site. 

Cavaillon: Morne Bleu cave had "fetishes" from Indian period.

Tiburon: "Fetishes" and caverns with human bones reported in the area.

Saint-Marc: In c.1737, Indian "idols" and tools were found at a plantation at Bas de l'Artibonite.

Port-Salut: "Fetishes" found in the area, as well as other indigenous artifacts.

Bainet's Precolumbian Past

While perusing Nicolson's Essai sur l'histoire naturelle de l'isle de Saint-Domingue , avec des figures en taille-douce on Gallica, we found an interesting allusion to the indigenous past in Bainet parish. According to Nicolson, in the Gris-Gris quarter of the parish, a cave site on one habitation indicated past use by the "Taino" to bury their dead. Nicolson himself visited the site in 1773 and brought back human remains while also noticing the larger number of bones. Supposedly, the area was used as a refuge by the Indian population to escape the Spanish. No source is given for this, but it is interesting to hear about the indigenous past in this part of the island.