New Aboriginal Burial Site Found in Northern Sancti Spiritus (+photos)

Recent findings reported at Cueva de La Guinea (La Guinea Cave) on the coast of Yaguajay, to the north of Sancti Spiritus, confirm the use of this area as a burial site by aborigines.

A team of experts headed by archaeologist José E. Chirino Camacho and bio-archaeologist Yadira Chinique de Armas carried out the excavations that led to the discovery of the remains of six people, four adults and two children, in what appears to be an extensive Aboriginal burial area.

According to Chirino, the presence of fauna species, mostly terrestrial, as well as material associated with the culture of these native groups including artefacts of body decoration made with animal bones and with stones could be also identified.

“The burials coincide in location and depth with those found in the excavations made in the 1980s. On that occasion it was only possible to extract a few dental pieces and some children’s bones”, said Chirino.

The team of experts was also made up of Norgis V. Hernández López, director of Caguanes National Park, Ulises M. González Herrera, chief investigator of the mortuary practices project in Cuba, and Silvia T. Hernández Godoy, from the Research and Development Group of the Provincial Culture Office in Matanzas.

La Guinea Cave or Guayarúes, as it is also called, is located on the north coast, about 7 kilometers away from the Nela community. It was discovered in the late 1960s and is considered one of the places with the most cave paintings in this part of Cuba.