From Africa to the Antilles: migratory routes of Homo sapiens to the Americas and the pre-Columbian settlement of Cuba

Abstract

This article explores the major migratory routes of Homo sapiens into the American continent, focusing on the settlement of the Caribbean islands and particularly the Taíno migration to Cuba prior to European arrival. Through the analysis of archaeological, genetic, and linguistic data, the study provides a comprehensive and updated overview of human movement from the initial out-of-Africa dispersals to the peopling of the Greater Antilles, highlighting the complexity of pre-Columbian cultural diversity.

Keywords: Human migrations, Population of America, Pre-Columbian Caribbean, Tainos, Archaeogenetics, Caribbean Archaeology, Indigenous Cuba