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AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF U.S. NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA

Newsom and Rich Macphail_________________________________________________________________________________

survey of U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The purpose of work was to begin development of a database and accurate map identifying archaeological site locations and areas of site potential. As a result of the investigation, 41

th

& 19th

B.P. B.P., spanning the Archaic through Ceramic periods.

provides an articulate tool for implementing a comprehensive historical preservation plan preserving the cultural heritage of this small slice of Cuba.

humano del pasado; la preservación del polen fue sin embargo pobre. El estudio provee una herramienta articulada para

Cuba.

était cependant faible. Le travail effectué fournit un outil nécessaire pour mettre en application un plan de conservation

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Introduction

archaeological survey of U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The work followed a preliminary reconnaissance conducted by Navy Archaeologist Bruce Larson in January 2003. The purpose of work was to develop a database and map of archaeological sites and probability areas in order to manage and preserve the station’s cultural resources. Roughly 1,200 acres of the 20,000-acre station were

Chapter:

19

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of High Probability were prioritized. The work was conducted by Geo-Marine, Inc. and its consulting scientists. Along with the senior author, the project team included Bruce Larson, Bill Keegan, Juan

data analysis included Soil Micromorphologists Rich Macphail and Paul Goldberg, Zooarchaeologist Nathalie Serrand, and Beta Analytic, Inc. Our overall mission followed U.S. Historic Preservation Laws that are applied to federally

study. Our management goal was to create a framework for developing a Cultural Resources

both pre-Columbian and Historic sites to reconstruct material cultural; obtain a cultural sequence for the station; analyze pollen and macrobotanical samples; conduct soil micromorphological analysis, and radiocarbon-date organic material to accurately date pre-Columbian occupations.

Location

50 kilometers (km) from the eastern tip of the island (Figure 1). Cuba is part of the Greater Antilles island group, which includes Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico. The island of Cuba is oriented NW-SE and lies in the middle of the Caribbean Sea south of the Tropic of Cancer. The area is leased by the U.S. lies within the Guantanamo basin, a broad valley 40 km long and 24 km wide. The station

The station is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and is divided into two land areas: the Leeward side and the Windward side. Each side has distinct topographic features – the Windward side is rugged

The region contains geological formations of schists and other crystalline rocks from the

geological formations of sedimentary rocks and volcanic conglomerates comprise common formations. Cobble deposits in stream beds and arroyos contain high quality cryptocrystalline rocks that would have been sought for stone tool manufacturing during prehistory.

Cultural Contexts

Christopher Columbus paid a brief visit to the Bay in 1494 and reported native huts and Indians on

ranches. A period of British Naval occupation occurred on two occasions in 1741 and 1854. This was followed by the Spanish military occupation of Cuba and intervention of U.S. forces during the 1898 Spanish-American War. An important battle – The Battle of Cuzco Wells – occurred here when American and Cuban troops removed Spanish forces from the Guantanamo Bay area. This was

and Cuban governments (Figure 3). This early base was moved four years later to the opposite and more protected side of the Bay.

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Field Methods and Results

Eight areas of the station were selected for survey. In order to rapidly obtain as much information on the archaeological record as possible, as indicated, all selected areas were of High Probability (Figure 4). Five areas are on the Windward side, and include North Granadillo Bay, North Toro Cay, South Toro Cay, Cuzco Beach and Cuzco Hills, and Windmill Beach; two areas are islands in the bay – Medio Cay and Hospital Cay – and three smaller survey areas are on the Leeward side, including

shell scatters, one ceramic, lithic, and shell concentration, and one Historic-age (site GTMO-15) were recorded. North Toro Cay contains rugged topography and corresponds to the 1904-1908 U.S. Naval

located. South Toro Cay immediately to the south yielded eleven Historic-age sites (GTMO-2, and 26 through 35), all associated with the Early Naval period (Figure 7).

To the south, the Cuzco Beach and Cuzco Hills correspond to the Spanish military encampment during the 1898 Spanish-American War. Steeply sloping hills form a physiographic barrier along the southern coast. Our survey recorded one multicomponent site (GTMO-3) where a portion of pre-Columbian ceramic vessel was recovered (Figure 8), as well as 18th and 19th C Spanish colonial artifacts.

(GTMO-21), and most notably a Spanish colonial brick, coral, and stone foundation and refuse pile (GTMO-22), corresponding to the Spanish military headquarters during the Spanish-American War

no sites.Hospital Cay, a small island in the bay was used by the British as a naval hospital in 1741

during the battle with Spain in Santiago, and then again in 1854 as a quarantine for yellow fever

Plant. Medio Cay, a small island located in the bay contained large natural shell deposits where numerous Strombus and Melongenaaboriginal ceramic (GTMO-37).

On the Leeward Side, the survey areas of Flamingo Cay, Port Palma, and Carcoles Point each yielded one pre-Columbian site. The most notable was a high-density shell midden and lithic site located at the southern end of a peninsula at Port Palma (GTMO-40). Radiocarbon dating of a

184896], corresponding to a late Archaic to early Ceramic Age.

Discussion

As a result of the survey, 41 archaeological sites were recorded, encompassing the pre-Columbian period, the 18th and 19th Spanish colonial period, the 1898 Spanish-American War, and the early U.S. naval period. Nineteen sites are pre-Columbian, one site is multi-component with both pre-Columbian and Spanish colonial occupations, one site is both a Spanish colonial and military site, and 20 sites are associated with early 20th century U.S. occupation. Radiocarbon dates from several pre-Columbian

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sites evidence human use of the Guantanamo Bay marine and terrestrial environment over the past 3000 years.

Historic-age sites consist primarily of 1904 to 1908 foundations and refuse deposits on North and South Toro cays. These undisturbed sites form a tight time capsule documenting the earliest

brick, coral, and native stone foundation and an assemblage of domestic artifacts ranging from the last quarter eighteenth through late nineteenth centuries (Figure 10). The commanding view of the valley and Cuzco Beach, where the 1898 Battle for Cuzco Wells was fought, is a strong indicator that the site is the location of the Spanish commandant’s headquarters during the Spanish-American War.

Prior to Spanish military occupation, the site was likely the dwelling of a wealthy Spanish colonial-period landowner. The concentration of Spanish colonial ceramics and glass from the nearby Cuzco Beach site is likely associated with this occupation.

Four radiocarbon dates obtained from shell samples recovered from pre-Columbian sites (GTMO-1, 3, 37, and 40) yielded dates that range from cal 2880 to 2660 B.P., to cal 710 to 530 B.P.,spanning the Archaic through Ceramic periods (Table 1). Macrobotanical specimens known to have been used for fuel, food, and medicinal purposes during the pre-Columbian period in the Greater

particular, a soil sample from a site bordering Granadillo Bay shows coarse organic and anthropogenic

Past human activities, iin these deposits. Pollen preservation was, however, found to be poor; however, further pollen studies from Leeward side deposits may demonstrate a preserved pollen record.

The pre-Columbian sites mostly consist of lithic and shell concentrations or scatters on low-

presence of large metates on at least two sites. Many of the sites contain whole or portions of Strombus and Melongena shells, likely harvested from shallow bay waters. Numerous shell specimens observed on the sites have been formed into tools such as picks, gouges, and scoops (Figures 11 and 12).

collections, certain trends can be observed in the overall lithic assemblage. In total, the 23 different

bifacial reduction technology is also represented. The stone workshop activities appear to be cobble-

scrapers), and 5 percent cores. The lithic technologies represented are consistent with the Archaic-Age

As indicated, bifacial lithic reduction is also evident. A great deal of hard hammer percussion

such as a metate present on Flamingo Cay and one observed near Granadillo Bay, are indicative of processing and consumption of wild vegetable foodstuffs.

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The lithic raw materials among the pre-Columbian collection consist predominantly of chipped pieces of siliceous chalcedony, chert, and jasper cobbles. As earlier indicated, these siliceous raw

limestone, and sandstone – all sedimentary rocks – as well as metavolcanic stone and quartzite, are

the raw materials. This is followed by chert (22 percent), sandstone (7 percent), jasper and siltstone (both 6 percent), and metavolcanic stone (3 percent). In smaller quantities (1 percent or less) are

In total, 52 pre-Columbian ceramic sherds were recovered from three sites (GTMO-1, 3, and

all the sherds are plain and show no stylistic decoration.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the survey found that the pre-Columbian sites with greatest research potential are located within the northern areas of Guantanamo Bay, particularly around Granadillo Bay on the Windward side, and in the Port Palma area on the Leeward side. A multi-component site at Cuzco Beach also appears

Naval period were found to maintain a high degree of integrity and can yield important information on the early naval period. Finally, the late eighteenth- to late nineteenth-century colonial site and Spanish

In closing, it should be noted that the Guantanamo River on the Leeward side was not surveyed during

have a moderate to high potential for pre-Columbian archaeological resources. Further investigations

Columbian and Historic-era use of the Guantanamo Bay region and paleoenvironment. Hopefully, this work has provided the groundwork from which the long-term historic preservation plan can be implemented for preserving the rich cultural heritage of this important area of Cuba.

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Figure 1: Location of US Naval Station, Cuba

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Figure 2: Naval Station Guantanamo Bay - Physiography

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Figure 3: 1908 Map of Original Station

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Figure 4: Location of Survey Areas

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Figure 5: View of Granadillo Bay

Figure 6: North & South Toro Cay Sites

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Figure 7: South Toro Cay – Early Naval Period Site

Figure 8: Cuzco Beach - Ceramic Vessel

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Figure 9: Spanish Headquarters Site

Figure 10: Spanish Colonial Artifacts

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Figure 11: Pre-columbian Tools

Figure 12: Bifaces and Shell Pick

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Table 1

Radiocarbon Dates Obtained from Shell Samples, U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay

BetaAnalytic

Sample No.

GMISample

No. Depth

SampleMaterial/

Weight (g)

ConventionalRadiocarbon

Age 2 Sigma Calibration184893 GTMO-1 0-13

cmbs1060 +/- 60 BP Cal AD 1240 to

1420 (Cal BP 710 to 530)

184894 GTMO-3 67 cmbs

Strombus+- 80 g

2980 +/- 70 BP Cal BC 930 to 710(Cal BP 2880 to 2660)

184895 GTMO-37

40-50cmbs

1700 +/- 60 BP Cal AD 600 to 800(Cal BP 1350 to 1140)

184896 GTMO-40

Strombus100+ g

2680 +/- 60 BP Cal BC 580 to 320(Cal BP 2530 to 2270)