Editing Aruba (section)

==== Early human migration and cultural exchange ====
During this period, the [[Leeward Islands]] maintained connections and engaged in trade with mainland South America, particularly with partners in the present-day [[Falcón]]-[[Zulia]] state in [[Venezuela]] and possibly the [[Guajira Peninsula|La Guajira Peninsula]] (Venezuela/[[Colombia]]). The specific language group to which they belonged remains uncertain. This theory is supported by the discovery of 60 to 70 Amerindian cemetery burial grounds in [[Malmok]]<ref>Versteeg, A. H. (1991). [https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/AA/00/06/19/61/00405/13-9.pdf A preceramic burial site at Malmok (Aruba)]. In Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Congress for Caribbean Archaeology. Ayubi EN, Haviser JB (eds). Reports of the Archaeological–Anthropological Institute of the Netherlands Antilles (No. 9, pp. 105-126).</ref> and [[Canashito]]. Burial sites at Canashito are dated between 100 BC to 100 AD. [[Isotope analysis|isotopic]] research revealed that one of the individuals buried there was not from Aruba and had a different diet compared to the other four individuals of Aruban origin. This finding suggests that early [[human migration]] and cultural exchange were already part of the cultural pattern of these archaic Indians at an early stage.<ref name=":02" />

The burial site in Malmok dates to between 450 and 1000 AD. The Arubans of that time had a short and stocky physique, with adult men averaging {{Convert|1.57|m|ft}} in height and women averaging {{Convert|1.49|m|ft}}. The burial customs offer insight into the social dynamics of the archaic island inhabitants. Based on the burial patterns,<ref>{{cite web |title=Distributions of graves and gifts |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268741493 |access-date=11 Nov 2023}}</ref> it was deduced that they traveled in clans of 15 to 30 people. These groups were led by an adult man who was buried at the center of the cluster. His elevated status was emphasized by the presence of several stones marking his grave. The rest of the family group was buried around him.<ref name=":02" />
[[File:NL-HaNA 4.JBF 206.jpg|thumb|Sketch of hieroglyphs found of earlier presence of former inhabitants, drawn on cave roof with reddish ocre-like paint, ratio 1/20. (1827)]]