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Affiliated Projects

NEXUS 1492 works together with other research projects funded by the European Commission.

HERA Carib

The cultural encounters between the Old and New Worlds are among the most infamous in human history. The Caribbean was the centre stage for interactions between cultures of dramatically different backgrounds, which after a turbulent colonial period eventually laid the foundations for the modern-day, multi-ethnic societies of the region. The universities of Leiden, Leuven and Konstanz will combine archaeology, history, archaeometry and social network theory to study the transformations of Amerindian culture and society as a result of these encounters.

The primary aim is to understand the impacts of cultural encounters on Lesser Antillean indigenous Carib societies by studying transformations in settlement pattern and organisation, material culture and network strategies across the historical divide. More information can be found on the CARIB (HERA JRP) website.

Participants in this project are:

Prof. Dr. Corinne Hofman
Prof. Dr. Ulrik Brandes
Prof. Dr. Patrick Degryse
Dr. Jimmy Mans
Dr. Bert Neyt
Dr. Becki Scott
Dr. Tom Brughmans
Samantha de Ruiter
Mereke van Garderen

NWO Island Networks​​​​​​​

The focus of this programme is the inter-community social relationships and transformations of island networks in the Lesser Antilles across the historical divide. The period AD 1000-1800 represents an archaeologically understudied and turbulent era during which the archipelago’s inhabitants came under increasing influence from South America and the Greater Antilles and participated in the last phase of indigenous resistance to colonial powers. The region is ideal for this research because of 1) its geographic formation as a chain of islands between the landmasses of the South American mainland and the Greater Antilles, thus serving as a conduit for interaction and exchange; 2) its continuous Amerindian occupation from 6000 BC until the 18th century; 3) the dynamic situation of colonial encounters with Amerindian-European-African interactions.

Caribbean archaeological research has focused on patterns of regional and pan-regional mobility of peoples and the exchange of goods and ideas during the pre-colonial period (pre-1492). Recent investigations by the applicant have for the first time provided insights into early colonial period indigenous archaeology in the Lesser Antilles through the discovery of 16-18th century Amerindian settlements and associated material culture repertoires. These discoveries offer a unique opportunity to study continuity and change in inter-community social relationships, and transformations of island networks at the advent of European colonialism.

This research utilizes state-of-the-art methods and techniques and contemporary theoretical perspectives from archaeology, ethnohistory, biogeochemistry, archaeometry and social network analysis, creating significant synergy in three interlocking subprojects. The multi-disciplinary approach will advance novel perspectives to the study of intercultural dynamics in colonial encounter situations worldwide. On a local Caribbean level, this programme contributes to the historical awareness and valorisation of cultural heritage in a geopolitically diverse islandscape, with an archaeological record that is under threat from natural disasters and infrastructural development. For more information see the NWO Island Networks website.

Participants in this project are:

Prof. Dr. Corinne Hofman
Dr. Becki Scott
Dr. Gabriel Ramon
Dr. Jason Laffoon
Dr. Angus Mol
Tom Breukel
Emma Slayton

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