Odlanyer Hernández de Lara, PhD candidate in anthropology, has authored a book chapter titled “Arqueología en la ciudad: estudiando un passado no ausente en Matanzas, Cuba” (“Archaeology in the city: studying a not-absent past in Matanzas, Cuba”). It is featured in the recently published Mexican book Ciudad y Arqueología: Desafíos y Experiencias en la Metrópoli del Siglo XXI (City and Archaeology: Challenges and Experiences in the 21^st Century Metropolis). Published in Spanish by the Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla, the book is open access. Following is an abstract:

Excavating modern cities implies unearthing contexts that were once rural and that are now immersed in modern urbanizations. With the development of historical archaeology in Cuba, Spanish colonial cities became one of the topics of greatest interest, especially those considered national or world heritage. Spanish fortifications, as part of urban defenses, also played a leading role. In part, this chapter addresses both topics. Based on the experience of archaeological excavations at Squadron 41 of the Rural Guard, formerly the Peñas Altas battery, in the city of Matanzas, Cuba, I consider some methodological problems regarding excavation strategies, but also the role of the community in a multi-temporal site. Results from archaeological excavations contribute to document diverse histories, from the Spanish colonial period to the recent republic, with events or periods that physically and emotionally affected the city and its inhabitants.

For a closer look into the history of the Peñas Altas battery, and the ongoing excavations at Squadron 41, readers can view Hernández de Lara's audiovisual summarization of his research here.