Metallic encounters in Cuba: The technology, exchange and meaning of metals before and after Columbus

Abstract

a b s t r a c tMetals held important symbolic and political values for the indigenous communities of the Caribbean islands. However, metal objects are not abundant in indigenous archaeological sites, and their study has hitherto been very limited. This paper presents the results of the first analytical programme focused on metal artifacts recovered in a range of Taíno sites in Cuba, chronologically covering the periods before and after contact with Europeans. Our aims were: (a) to identify metallurgical traditions related to a diversity of cultural or learning backgrounds; (b) to investigate the origins of different metal artifacts found in Cuba, as a proxy to reconstruct patterns of exchange and interaction among indigenous communities and between these and Europeans; and (c) to approach the meaning and symbolism of different metals by considering their contexts of appropriation and use. The techniques employed included optical microscopy, SEM-EDS, pXRF and PIXE. The results allow a diachronic picture of the procurement, transformation, use and symbolism of metals in Cuba with broader implications for Caribbean archaeology. We reveal culture-specific Taíno choices in their interaction with materials and value systems from continental America and Europe. We also discuss the selective appropriation, recontextualization and meaning of different metals in the indigenous cultures.Crown

Characterization of archaeometallurgical artefacts by means of portable Raman systems: corrosion mechanisms influenced by marine aerosol

“…As explained in several works, these Fe corrosion products can be generated in the post-excavation phase according to reaction (8). [43] In fact, excavated Fe objects are exposed to higher oxygen and less water containing conditions in comparison with the burial environment.…”

“…Starting from elemental characterization, X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) has been frequently used to analyse the alloys used for the manufacture of ancient objects . In addition to XRF, also laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy portable systems are increasingly used in the field of archaeometallurgical studies.…”

“…[6,7] Starting from elemental characterization, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) has been frequently used to analyse the alloys used for the manufacture of ancient objects. [8,9] In addition to XRF, also laserinduced breakdown spectroscopy [10] portable systems are increasingly used in the field of archaeometallurgical studies. Taking advantage of their high sensitive detectors, both techniques are able to provide qualitative and semi-quantitative results reaching the parts per million of concentration level depending on the characteristics of the sample.…”

Caracterização metalográfica de uma cruz metálica da cidade de Camaquã (RS)

“…Cabe relembrar que metalurgia na América é tão antiga, quanto a do velho mundo (MARTINÓN-TORRES et al, 2012). Porém, ao contrário de outros povos pré-colombianos que conheciam os segredos da siderurgia do cobre, ouro e prata, os guaranis, que habitavam a região Sul do Brasil, não trabalhavam o metal.…”

Depletion gilding, innovation and life-histories: the changing colours of Nahuange metalwork

“…In the Cuban cemetery of El Chorro de Maíta, an indigenous female buried sometime after the conquest was accompanied by several guanín objects, including what seems to be a Tairona bird, probably transported by Europeans along with Colombian loot. This is the only object in the assemblage with evidence of depletion gilding and, as with the Nahuange objects, the golden layer appears to have been deliberately polished off (Martinón-Torres et al 2012). Future work could, therefore, focus on the ethnography of colours and sheens (beyond metals), and possible associations with female and passage rites, with a particular focus on the Circum-Caribbean region.…”