HISTORICAL. NARRATIVES AND FIELD WORK 39 



writer first became interested in what had been reported as an 

 Arawak burial ground at Boca Chica, a Dominican town located 

 'about 2 kilometers down the bay of Andres east of the village of 

 that name, when viewing, in March, 1929, the collection of Sehor 

 Andres Socias, of Copey, Monte Cristi Province. In that collection 

 was an earthenware vessel somewhat different from the usual type 

 of pottery from the north coast of Santo Domingo. Sefior Socias 

 had obtained the vessel several years previously as a gift from a 

 friend residing at Boca Chica. Somewhat later in the 1929 season 

 an American engineer interested in the sugar industry of the south 

 coast remarked to the writer that an Indian cemetery at Boca Chica 

 (Andres) had been discovered by Mr. Thomas Howell, of New York, 

 the president of the Conipama Azucarea Boca Chica. Mr. Fox, 

 the resident manager of the concern, during the absence of Mr. 

 Howell, kindly granted permission to carry on investigations for 

 the National Museum on the property of the sugar estate directly 

 in front of the sugar warehouses, where most of the finds were being 

 made. Local olFicials of the Dominican Government granted per- 

 mission to explore within the confines of the adjoining village of 

 Andres. During the time spent at Andres, living quarters were 

 supplied by the Compahia Azucarera, the officials of which assisted 

 the undertaking in every possible manner. 



The former aboriginal village site at Andres extends along the 

 coast all the way from the native village of Boca Chica, at the eastern 

 end of the Bay of Andres, through the village of Andres near the 

 western end of the bay, where it terminates abruptly in front of the 

 warehouses of the Boca Chica Sugar Central. Directly fronting 

 the warehouses and refinery buildings is a large sand spit projecting 

 out into the bay and covering a depth of 3 to 10 or more feet 

 the coral rock which underlies the entire area. Except for the sand 

 spit, there is but little soil covering the coral and the unusually exten- 

 sive shell midden characterizing this ancient Arawak settlement rests 

 directly on a bed of coral rock. This sand spit was utilized by the 

 former aborginal occupants of the region as the only possible burial 

 ground within an extensive area along the southeastern Santo 

 Domingan coast. It v/as here that they buried with their dead many 

 bowls, food dishes, and water jars. 



Many years ago this site was first made known to Dominicans 

 through the casual finding of Indian skulls or of an occasional pot- 

 tery food dish washed out by action of the waves. No systematic 

 excavation was made at this point, however, until 1928, when the 

 owner of the Boca Chica Sugar Central, wdiile excavating for a new 

 sugar warehouse, uncovered many skulls, skeletons, and accompany- 

 ing pottery vessels. Before the owner's attention was directed to 



