Santa María de la Antigua del Darién: the Aftermath of Colonial Settlement

Abstract

What kind of relationships were created between the indigenous people of the western region of the Gulf of Urabá, Colombia, and the Spaniards in the early years of the conquest? What happened in Santa Maria de la Antigua del Darién, the first European city founded on the American mainland, in the course of its short history, and immediately after its abandonment (1510–1524)? We have a number of clues that can be drawn from contemporary historical sources (Oviedo), sources immediately following the abandonment of Santa Maria (the reports of the travels of Julian Gutiérrez) and archaeological investigations now in progress in the area of the city. This paper will offer new reflections on these questions, on the basis of archaeological data obtained during the 2014–2016 excavations directed by the author. These findings include ritual caches dated to the phase of the city's abandonment; "contact" pottery from the Basurero Norte area; and, "Trench F", a possible house inhabited by indigenous servants (naborías).