Radiocarbon and Stratigraphic Chronology of Canímar Abajo, Matanzas, Cuba

Twelve accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates from the shell-matrix site of Canimar Abajo (Matanzas, Cuba) are reported. Eleven were obtained directly from human bone collagen in burials and one was obtained from charcoal recovered from a burial context. The site stratigraphy presents two episodes of burial activity separated by a shell midden layer. The AMS dates fall into two compact clusters that correlate remarkably well with the stratigraphy. The older burial dates to between 1380-800 cal BC (2 sigma) and the younger one to between cal AD 360-950 (2 sigma). The AMS dates are compared to eight conventional C-14 dates previously obtained on shell and charcoal. One of the conventional dates on charcoal (5480-5380 cal BC; 2 sigma) has been reported as the oldest C-14 date in the Caribbean region; its context and reliability are clarified. The suite of AMS dates provides one of the most reliable chronometric dating of a cultural context during this timeframe in Cuba. The correlation of C-14 and stratigraphy establishes a solid chronology for investigating the important economic and ritual features of Canimar Abajo.