Origins of the Tainan Culture, West Indies

CHAPTER XI.
Burial Customs.
Different forms of both direct and secondary burials were
found contemporaneously on Espanola at the time of the Discovery,
according to what the old authors report. Archaeological
finds also often give us a good idea of how in part the burial
customs mentioned in the sources were effected; then too, other
facts that are not given in these, are brought to light. In many
cases the burial customs that are only known archaeologically,
appear to be local phenomena. Speaking in general, the usual
forms of burial occuring in the Greater Antilles, by way of the
Lesser Antilles, so little known in this respect, had connections
with the tropical lowlands of South America.
COLUMBUS summarizes the different burial customs that
were found on Espanola at the time before the Discovery:1) "They
open the cacique and dry him by the fire in order that he may be
preserved whole. Of others they take only the head. Others are
buried in a cave and they place above their head a gourd of water
and some bread. Others they burn in the house and when they
see them on the point of death they do not let them finish their
life but strangle them. This is done to the caciques. Others
they drive out of the house; and others they put into a hamaca,
which is their bed of netting and put water and bread at their
head and leave them alone without returning to see them any
more."2)
We learn here, that the burial customs were different for the
caciques and the people.
1) BOURNE, p. 313, cites D. FERNANDO, who cites COLUMBUS.
2) Compare LAS CASAS, Ed. Serrano y Sanz, p. 535, at a distance from the
town "en el monte". After death they became hupias, wood-goblins, who were
greatly feared by the Haitians.