Environmental and historical archaeology of the Galápagos islands: archaeobotany of Hacienda El Progreso, 1870–1920

Abstract

The initial relationships between the first human colonizers and the native vegetation of Isla San Cristóbal, Galápagos, were studied by the analyses of wood charcoal, plant macro-remains, phytoliths and historical records. Archaeological and modern botanical samples were collected from four archaeological sites within the former farmland of the 19th century Hacienda El Progreso, a sugar plantation located in the moist highlands of the island. The archaeobotanical remains show the use of native timber, the introduction of crops and weeds, some aspects of local diet, and evidence of vegetation clearance. Ecological impact is shown by the changes to the native vegetation caused by human colonization of the island and the expansion of agricultural land for the plantation enterprise. This paper provides a synthesis of the archaeobotanical study at El Progreso which forms a baseline for future research in the Galápagos islands.