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The Caribbean was one of the last parts of the Americas to be settled by humans, but how and when the islands were first occupied remains a matter of debate. Ancient DNA can help answering these questions, but the work has been hampered by poor DNA preservation. We report the genome sequence of a 1,000-year-old Lucayan Taino individual recovered from the site of Preacher's Cave in the Bahamas. We sequenced her genome to 12.4-fold coverage and show that she is genetically most closely related to present-day Arawakan speakers from northern South America, suggesting that the ancestors of the Lucayans originated there. Further, we find no evidence for recent inbreeding or isolation in the ancient genome, suggesting that the Lucayans had a relatively large effective population size. Finally, we show that the native American components in some present-day Caribbean genomes are closely related to the ancient Taino, demonstrating an element of continuity between precontact populations and present-day Latino populations in the Caribbean.

Rationale: Strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) analysis of skeletal remains has become a powerful tool in archaeological studies of human migration and mobility. Owing to its resistance to post‐mortem alteration, dental enamel is the preferred sampling material used for 87Sr/86Sr analysis in bioarchaeological provenance research, although recent studies have demonstrated that cremated bone is also generally resistant to diagenesis. This paper presents the results of a pilot study exploring the potential of unburnt petrous bone (pars petrosa) as a reservoir of biogenic (diagenetically unaltered) strontium, as the otic capsule or bony labyrinth within the petrous bone is extremely dense and is thought to be unable to remodel after early childhood, potentially providing an alternative for dental enamel. Methods: From an individual from a colonial‐era (18th century) site on the island of Saba in the Caribbean for whom previous enamel 87Sr/86Sr results had indicated non‐local origins, multiple locations (n = 4) on the petrous were sampled and measured for strontium isotope composition. Saba (13 km2) has been extensively mapped for baseline strontium isotopes (n = 50) with 87Sr/86Sr varying from ca 0.7065 to 0.7090, whereas enamel 87Sr/86Sr (n = 3) ranged from 0.7104 to 0.7112. Results: All four petrous 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7111–0.7122) are consistently and considerably higher than the local bioavailable range, and very similar to the enamel 87Sr/86Sr. These results provide initial evidence that unburnt petrous bones may preserve biogenic strontium, at least in this specific burial context. Conclusions: While more research in diverse burial conditions is needed to validate this observation, if confirmed, it would have broader implications for sample selection strategies in bioarchaeological studies using the strontium isotope method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Caribbean Sea was a conduit for human mobility and the exchange of goods and ideas during the whole of its pre-colonial history. The period cal. AD 1000-1800, covering the Late Ceramic Age and early colonial era, represents an archaeologically understudied time during which the Lesser Antilles came under increasing influence from the Greater Antilles and coastal South America and participated in the last phase of indigenous resistance to colonial powers. This article summarizes the results of the Island Network project, supported by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) in which a multi-disciplinary set of archaeological, archaeometric, geochemical, GIS, and network science methods and techniques have been employed to disentangle this turbulent era in regional and global history. These diverse approaches reveal and then explore multi-layered networks of objects and people and uncover how Lesser Antillean communities were created and transformed through teaching, trade, migration, movement, and exchange of goods and knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the origins and diet of the seafarers on Columbus's second voyage, individuals whose mortal remains were buried in the churchyard of the settlement of La Isabela. This was the very first European town in the Americas, founded by Columbus in the present-day Dominican Republic in early January 1494. Historical sources indicate that most of the crew came from the region of Andalucía, while the remainder came from a range of other geographical locations. It is also likely that some individuals had been born elsewhere and migrated to Spain before embarking on their transatlantic voyage. However, their precise origins remain unknown. In this study, we use both osteological analysis and isotopes—both light (C, N, and O) and heavy isotopes of strontium in the tooth enamel and bone of 27 individuals from La Isabela—to investigate questions of human provenience and diet. The results of our analyses indicate that while most of the individuals analyzed from the burial series at La Isabela were males from Spain itself, there were several unexpected females and infants, referred to vaguely by the historical sources, in addition to one local native and a person probably from Africa, implying that Africans took part actively in the Spanish venture of settling the New World from the very beginning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To identify and characterize anthropogenic lead sources on a 17th/18th century Barbadian plantation and to test if lead isotope analyses can be used to identify the geographic origins of first‐generation African captives. Materials and Methods: We carried out lead (Pb) isotope analyses on dental enamel samples from 24 individuals from the Newton Plantation Cemetery in Barbados, which had previously been analyzed for strontium (Sr) and oxygen (O) isotope composition (Schroeder et al., American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 2009, 139:547–557) and Pb concentrations (Schroeder et al., American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 2013, 150:203–209. Results: We are able to identify British Pb sources, and more specifically Bristol/Mendips Pb, as the most likely source of anthropogenic Pb on the plantation, highlighting the impact of the British Atlantic economy on the lives of enslaved peoples in Barbados during the period of plantation slavery. Furthermore, we find that there is only one clear outlier among seven individuals who had previously been identified as African‐born based on their enamel Sr isotope composition (Schroeder et al., American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 2009, 139:547–557). All other individuals present a very homogenous Pb isotope composition, which overlaps with that of British Pb sources. Conclusion: Our results indicate that while Pb isotope analyses can help identify and further characterize the sources of anthropogenic Pb in plantation settings, they might not be suited for identifying the origins of African‐born individuals in diasporic contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Holocene colonization of islands in the Pacific and Caribbean by agropastoral and horticulturalist communities, a variety of proxies (material, genetic, zoogeographic etc.) indicate substantial inter-island and inter-community contact. It has been suggested that this contact represents an adaptive response to mitigate intrinsic demographic fragility during the initial phases of island colonization, and that this exogamous imperative faded in the aftermath of initial dispersal as overall population density increased. Here, we evaluate this model by synthesizing and comparing increasingly available 87Sr/86Sr data from funerary populations in the Pacific and Caribbean. After performing basic hygienic discrimination, we conclude that the Caribbean data—both from across the region, and on an intra-site/island basis—lend support to this model, with high early in-migration succeeded by comparatively low in-migration in a relationship which, based on chi-square tests, is statistically significant (1, N = 290) = 4.046, p = 0.044). The Pacific situation is more complex, with data from the Bismarck Archipelago and northern Solomon Islands skewing the analysis. However, in considering these data in detail, we demonstrate that there are reasons to suppose that the Pacific data may also tentatively support a model of high rates of in-migration being replaced later in settlement histories by comparatively low rates. We conclude by highlighting future directions for this incipient research program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex relationships between humans and dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) have a very deep and unique history. Dogs have accompanied humans as they colonised much of the world, and were introduced via human agency into the insular Caribbean where they became widespread throughout the Ceramic Age. It is likely that the dynamic interactions between humans, dogs, and their environments in the Caribbean were spatially, chronologically, and socially variable. However, almost no research has specifically addressed the nature, or potential variability, of human/dog interactions in this region. This study presents isotopic (strontium and carbon) evidence bearing on human and dog paleomobility and paleodietary patterns in the pre-colonial Caribbean. The isotope results illustrate a generally high degree of correspondence between human and dog dietary practices at all analysed sites but also slight differences in the relative importance of different dietary inputs. Striking parallels are also observed between the human and dog mobility patterns and shed light on broader networks of social interaction and exchange. Lastly, the paper addresses the possible utility and relevance of canine isotope data as proxies for inferring past human behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent excavation of three human burials at White Marl, Jamaica (AD 900–1500), presented an important opportunity to garner new insight into precolonial life and death on Jamaica. The study, undertaken as a part of a collaborative heritage mitigation programme in the wake of planned infrastructural development of parts of the site, focused on burial practices and ancient diet and mobility. The results reveal that the burial treatment of these three individuals is consistent with contemporaneous practices observed throughout the Caribbean in regard to burial location, body treatment, body position, and grave goods. The radiocarbon dates of the three individuals are consistent with a long occupation span of the site (cal. AD 1221–1641) and additionally reveal the possibility that one of the individuals (Burial 3) lived during the Spanish colonial occupation of the island. Carbon and nitrogen isotopic analysis of bone collagen of the three individuals indicates a relatively low marine protein contribution to the diet. Carbon isotope values from tooth enamel are consistent with whole diets dominated by C3‐plants. Starch grains identified in dental calculus indicate that, similar to contemporaneous sites throughout the region, White Marl inhabitants were consuming arrowroot, palms, achira, maize, and wild beans. Plant preparation techniques included grinding, roasting, and toasting. In addition, the tentative identification of a Theobroma cacao starch grain in Burial 1 represents the first finding of precolonial cocoa in the Caribbean islands. Expansion of the strontium isotope programme is needed to improve our understanding of the mobility of the White Marl population; however, tentative assessment of the results suggests that Burial 2 may have originated from elsewhere on the island of Jamaica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractArchaeological research in the Caribbean has been extensive and has revealed that, since its first settlement, the region has been characterized by continuous interaction between its inhabitants. However, there are certain areas, like the islands of the southern Caribbean (islands off the Venezuelan coast), that are understudied, despite being a source of information regarding connections with the South American mainland. The aim of this research is to investigate the lifeways of eight individuals from the island of Bonaire through isotopic data to identify non-locals, and to examine dietary patterns within the site. In order to establish the residential histories of the eight individuals, strontium (87Sr/86Sr) and oxygen (δ18Ο) isotopes from the dental enamel were analyzed. The results were evaluated based on existing isotopic baselines and indicate that all eight individuals can be considered isotopically local. In order to investigate patterns of paleodiet, carbon isotopes from the dental enamel (δ13Cen) and carbon (δ13Ccol) and nitrogen isotopes (δ15Ncol) from the dental dentin were also analyzed. Four out of the eight individuals provided results and interestingly, despite the small sample size, they had variable dietary preferences, suggesting a combination of different plants and animal resources were consumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substantial progress in the application of multiple isotope analyses has greatly improved the ability to identify nonlocal individuals amongst archaeological populations over the past decades. More recently the development of large scale models of spatial isotopic variation (isoscapes) has contributed to improved geographic assignments of human and animal origins. Persistent challenges remain, however, in the accurate identification of individual geographic origins from skeletal isotope data in studies of human (and animal) migration and provenance. In an attempt to develop and test more standardized and quantitative approaches to geographic assignment of individual origins using isotopic data two methods, combining 87Sr/86Sr and δ18O isoscapes, are examined for the Circum-Caribbean region: 1) an Interval approach using a defined range of fixed isotopic variation per location; and 2) a Likelihood assignment approach using univariate and bivariate probability density functions. These two methods are tested with enamel isotope data from a modern sample of known origin from Caracas, Venezuela and further explored with two archaeological samples of unknown origin recovered from Cuba and Trinidad. The results emphasize both the potential and limitation of the different approaches. Validation tests on the known origin sample exclude most areas of the Circum-Caribbean region and correctly highlight Caracas as a possible place of origin with both approaches. The positive validation results clearly demonstrate the overall efficacy of a dual-isotope approach to geoprovenance. The accuracy and precision of geographic assignments may be further improved by better understanding of the relationships between environmental and biological isotope variation; continued development and refinement of relevant isoscapes; and the eventual incorporation of a broader array of isotope proxy data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]