Prehistoric findings in Dominican Republic offer clues to Caribbean's earliest inhabitants

Washington, August 19 (ANI): Archaeologists have discovered a prehistoric water-filled cave in the Dominican Republic, containing stone tools, a small primate skull in remarkable condition, and the claws, jawbone and other bones of several species of sloths, which offers clues to the Caribbean's earliest inhabitants.

The discoveries extend by thousands of years the scope of investigations led Charles Beeker, director of Academic Diving and Underwater Science Programs at IU Bloomington's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, and his interdisciplinary team of collaborators.

The researchers' focus has been on the era a mere 500 years ago when the Old World and New World first met after Christopher Columbus stepped ashore in the Caribbean-and on scintillating pirate lore.

This rare find is expected to give insights into the earliest inhabitants of the Greater Antilles and the animals they encountered.

"To be honest, I couldn't believe my eyes as I viewed each of these astonishing discoveries underwater," Beeker said.

"The virtually intact extinct faunal skeletons really amazed me, but what may prove to be a fire pit from the first human occupation of the island just seems too good to be true. But now that the lithics (stone tools) are authenticated, I can't wait to direct another underwater expedition into what may prove to become one of the most important prehistoric sites in all the Caribbean," he added.

Beeker and researchers Jessica Keller and Harley McDonald found the tools and bones in fresh water 28- to 34-feet deep in a cave called Padre Nuestro.

Nearby, and also underwater in the same cave, were found more recent Taino artifacts. The Taino were the first Native American peoples to encounter Europeans.

According to Geoffrey Conrad, director of the Mathers Museum of World Culture at IU Bloomington and professor of anthropology, the tools are estimated to be 4,000 to 6,500 years old.

The bones might range in age from 4,000 and 10,000 years old.

While sloth bones are not uncommon, Conrad knows of only a handful of other primate skulls found in the Caribbean.

"I know of no place that has sloths, primates and humanly made stone tools together in a nice, tight association around the same time," he said.

"Right now, it looks like a potential treasure trove of data to help us sort out the relationship in time between humans and extinct animals in the Greater Antilles. This site definitely is worthy of a large-scale investigation," he added. (ANI)