Dialogues in Cuban Archaeology

66 / Domínguez
our current efforts. These researchers also serve as role models for the work on
buildings in Old Havana and in the historical core of Santiago de Cuba, as
well as coffee plantations in the Sierra Maestra. Their work has undoubtedly
been related to the process of restoration and on some occasions conducted
from a preservationist perspective. Many of Cuba’s Spanish colonial cities have
since been recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage sites because of their
excellent preservation.
Since the 1940s, some of the archaeological projects sponsored by the Junta
Nacional de Arqueología in Cuba could be considered investigations in Historical
or Colonial Archaeology. Until well into the 1960s, archaeological
work concentrated primarily on Contact-period sites, isolated standing structure
sites of different periods, coffee plantations, and ingenios (sugar haciendas).
But in 1968, intensive work began on major sites in Havana, such as
the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales under the direction of Eusebio Leal
Spengler and, in 1970, in the Casa de la Obrapía under the direction of
Rodolfo Payares and the author. Before 1968, projects in Historical Archaeology
were few, sporadic, and accidental, without a cohesive plan. After
that date, projects were systematic and organized efforts coordinated by the
Comisión de Patrimonio Nacional and the Academia de Ciencias de Cuba. It
is between 1960 and 1980 that one can truly say that the specialization became
well established with thorough and systematized investigations undertaken
throughout the country (La Rosa Corzo 2000).
After the 1960s, as the specialization of Historical Archaeology became
widely recognized as a social science and its archaeological/historical discourse
became established, Cuba kept pace with the discipline, rigorously applying
it to the study of different social events and complex historical processes, as,
for example, the process of transculturation or the early urbanization of the
¤rst European settlements in the sixteenth century.
One of the national duties Cuba attended to most carefully was the development
of professionals. Education and professionalization had the necessary
legal and state support. Institutions created for this end were given the economic
support they needed, resulting in the organization and systematization
of archaeology at a national level. It is important to mention that this
landmark transition in 1960s Cuba is clearly re®ected in the scienti¤c work
produced. It was during this same period that Historical Archaeology took
off. Perhaps errors were made during this rapid development. Some projects
lacked theoretical positions, or even a scienti¤c vision to deal with some of
the problems. But over the course of time these limitations have been ad-