Abstract

This paper brings some insights on the construction of the historical perspective of the Queen Conch (Strombus gigas) symbolism in the Caribbean, from the pre-Hispanic times to the present. It is argued that when dealing with significance and meaning, the interpretation of the prehistoric, historical o contemporary data faces similar methodological problems. The cognitive processes involved both in the meaning attribution (made by the actors of the past) and in the interpretation of the meaning (made by the modern interpreters) are bounded to the social context and, therefore, require the use of regional, micro-contextual approach. The case study discussed here deals with the symbolism of the Queen Conch on the Los Roques Archipelago, a group of oceanic islands located 135 km off the central coast of Venezuela, seasonally visited by the Amerindian groups from the mainland coast, between A.D. 1200 and the European conquest time. Hundreds of female pottery figurines and other artefacts were brought from the mainland to the islands to be used in the rituals performed by the shamans. This ceremonialism has been oriented to protect the island visitors from the anger of the spirits of the Queen Conch, the animal that had been exploited in great numbers and taken to the mainland for delayed consumption. This interpretation is derived from the long-term systematic contextual excavations and integrative analytical approach (analysis of form, context and content) applied to the study of the Los Roques artefacts, especially the figurines. Indeed, such context-bounded interpretation cannot be transferred without restriction to any other historical and social realities. Thus, the regional and context-oriented studies are necessary to gather multiple meanings that the Queen Conch has evoked in the Caribbean through time

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