Puerto Ferro Man

An archeological dig conducted by Luis Chanlatte and Yvonne Narganes in 1990 uncovered the bones of a man who lived on Vieques almost 4,000 years ago. The excavation took place at Puerto Ferro on the south coast of Vieques, a site characterized by huge stone boulders.

The remains and surrounding organic artifacts were dated using carbon dating techniques and studied by forensic scientists.

It is assumed that the Puerto Ferro man, as he is called by archeologists, belonged to one of the first groups to inhabit Vieques, a pre-ceramic and pre-agricultural people who survived by hunting, fishing and gathering.

According to the forensic studies, the Puerto Ferro man was about 35 to 40 years old at the time of his death, quite an advanced age by the standards of that time and he stood about five foot ten inches tall, an unusually large stature for a man living in those days.

Extensive damage to his jaw that did not show any signs of healing, indicates that he was presumably killed by a strong blow.