A Forgotten Port? The submerged port landscape of Old Providence and Santa Catalina in the Colombian Caribbean

This article reports preliminary findings from an underwater archaeological survey conducted in the bay of Old Providence and Santa Catalina Islands, in the Colombian Caribbean. Through the analytical framework of port landscapes, the study reassesses the historical and archaeological role of minor island ports within broader Caribbean maritime networks. The research combines archival sources, geophysical prospection, visual survey, and spatial analysis to document and interpret the material evidence distributed across the bay. In total, 549 archaeological elements were georeferenced and classified according to material category. Their spatial distribution was examined using kernel density estimation (KDE), which identified three differentiated concentrations of archaeological material. The assemblage is dominated by glass and ceramics, suggesting diverse practices related to anchorage, circulation, provisioning, consumption, and discard. Rather than understanding ports exclusively through formal infrastructure, the results show that Old Providence and Santa Catalina operated as an active insular port landscape shaped by mobility, local knowledge, and flexible maritime practices. The study argues that these islands functioned as a strategic node within transimperial Caribbean networks, connecting informal trade, navigation, and everyday coastal activities. Overall, the evidence challenges conventional port definitions and highlights the underestimated archaeological significance of these island maritime spaces within wider regional historical processes.