Ancient Borinquen
448 pages, 6 1/8 x 9 1/4
Illus.
Paperback
Release Date:07 Sep 2005
ISBN:9780817352387
Ancient Borinquen
Archaeology and Ethnohistory of Native Puerto Rico
Edited by Peter E. Siegel
University of Alabama Press
A comprehensive overview of recent thinking, new data, syntheses, and insights into current Puerto Rican archaeology
Ancient Borinquen is a re-examination of the archaeology of Puerto Rico, drawing data from beyond the boundaries of the island itself because in prehistoric times the waters between islands would not have been viewed as a boundary in the contemporary sense of the term. The last few decades have witnessed a growth of intense archaeological research on the island, from material culture in the form of lithics, ceramics, and rock art; to nutritional, architecture, and environmental studies; to rituals and social patterns; to the aftermath of Conquest.
It is unlikely that prehistoric occupants recognized the same boundaries and responded to the same political forces that operated in the formation of current nations, states, or cities. Yet, archaeologists traditionally have produced such volumes and they generally represent anchors for ongoing research in a specific region, in this case the island of Puerto Rico, its immediate neighbors, and the wider Caribbean basin.
Ancient Borinquen provides a comprehensive overview of recent thinking, new data, syntheses, and insights into current Puerto Rican archaeology, and it reflects and illuminates similar concerns elsewhere in the West Indies, lowland South America, and Central America.
Ancient Borinquen is a re-examination of the archaeology of Puerto Rico, drawing data from beyond the boundaries of the island itself because in prehistoric times the waters between islands would not have been viewed as a boundary in the contemporary sense of the term. The last few decades have witnessed a growth of intense archaeological research on the island, from material culture in the form of lithics, ceramics, and rock art; to nutritional, architecture, and environmental studies; to rituals and social patterns; to the aftermath of Conquest.
It is unlikely that prehistoric occupants recognized the same boundaries and responded to the same political forces that operated in the formation of current nations, states, or cities. Yet, archaeologists traditionally have produced such volumes and they generally represent anchors for ongoing research in a specific region, in this case the island of Puerto Rico, its immediate neighbors, and the wider Caribbean basin.
Ancient Borinquen provides a comprehensive overview of recent thinking, new data, syntheses, and insights into current Puerto Rican archaeology, and it reflects and illuminates similar concerns elsewhere in the West Indies, lowland South America, and Central America.
This volume was a much-needed publication, not only for Puerto Rican, but also for Caribbean archeology.’
—The Americas
‘Ancient Borinquen is a fabulous collection of articles written by the leading practitioners of archaeology in Puerto Rico. The book, which consists of ten chapters, highlights a number of new directions in the field, and will be of value to everyone with an interest in the history and prehistory of the Caribbean.’
—New West Indian Guide
‘This volume does a commendable job assembling a comprehensive overview of recent archaeological work on Puerto Rico. The book furthers our understanding of Caribbean prehistory by focusing on this island interface between the Greater and Lesser Antilles.’
—Charles R. Ewen, author of From Spaniard to Creole: The Archaeology of Cultural Formation at Puerto Real, Haiti
‘Puerto Rico has been the focus of intensive archaeological research for the last 20 years and more. This impressive volume pulls together the insights from this work and presents them within a context that emphasizes both indigenous perspectives and Puerto Rico's connections to the rest of the Caribbean.’
—Samuel M. Wilson, author of Hispaniola:Caribbean Chiefdoms in the Age of Columbus
Peter E. Siegel is a Principal Archaeologist and Senior Project Manager with John Milner Associates, a cultural heritage management firm specializing in archaeology, architecture, and planning.
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