|
You will find this site marked by a sign on Hwy 997, east of Esperanza (yellow concrete sign) near mile marker 6.5 km, which is about a quarter mile east of the entrance to Sun Bay. Take the dirt road on your left north (it heads inland). Drive for about two minutes straight away until you find the burial site of the Indian known as the 'Hombre de Puerto Ferro', which is surrounded by a fence. Big boulders identify a grave where a 4000 year old skeleton was exhumed.
Little is known about the skeleton, but archaeologists speculate that it is most likely the body of one of Los Arcaicos (the Archaics), Puerto Rico's earliest known inhabitants; this racial group made a sustained migration as well as seasonal pilgrimages to the Caribbean from bases in Florida. Until the discovery of the Hombre de Puerto Ferro, many archaeologists imagined that the Arcaicos had reached Puerto Rico sometime shortly after the birth of Christ; the presence of the remains on Vieques could push that date back nearly two millennia if controversy surrounding the skeleton is resolved. Visitors are welcome to stop by the excavation site, but besides the original boulders, there's not much to see.

Brion H.
5/18/2013
| "This is actually very cool. A bunch of huge bolders in the middle of an open area. It has an erie feel about it, since it was an old burial ground. Only takes about 5 minutes to stop and see, so add this to your list of places to visit"
|
Have you been here? Rate it and add a review >>>
|
I've been here! [click to rate]
Overall rating: 4/5 stars [1 vote]
- Currently 4/5 Stars.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Save as place you'd like to go
|