Hispanic Colonial Fortresses and Coral Reefs in the Caribbean (16th to 18th Centuries)

Abstract

This article analyzes the use and exploitation of coral reefs in the construction of Spanish fortresses located in the Caribbean during the colonial era. A historical perspective and approach is needed to understand the processes developed in the short, medium, and long term, and their effects on the environment. Although this research has only recently been a subject of academic debate, centuries of interaction with humans and other animals have had a major impact on these resources and the climate. The work is supported by a series of maps from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries from the Atlas of Historical Maps of Honduras (Davidson, 2006) and primary documents located in the Archivo General de Indias.