SNEAK PEEK
an interactive timeline
A multimedia timeline following the diary of Christopher Columbus, pairing entries from 1492 with environmental, historical, and cultural perspectives from the present.
This page will be an archival ecosystem populated with original illustrations of the animals mentioned in the Diario, original writings, and external links to further resources. Meander a while.
HOW TO NAVIGATE THE TIMELINE
The timeline is fully scrollable.
You can also navigate using the icons on the right navigation panel. The center anchor icon takes you to the list of linked entries & glossary of terms.
Icons on the bottom of timeline cards provide further reading if you'd like (opens in new window).
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It is believed that Columbus saw a Planes minutus, also known as Columbus Crab. It is a pelagic (open-ocean) species that lives on floating debris or Sargassum and can occur hundreds or even thousands of miles from land.
MONDAY, 17 September, 1492
THE SARGASSO SEA
Christopher Columbus enters the Sargasso Sea and among the seaweed he finds a crab. Keeping it, he declares (erroneously) that they must be close to land as the crabs are not found more than 80 leagues from land.
They are still hundreds of miles from land in all directions.
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NOW
NAV
LOG
12 OCT
original (spanish)
"Ellos deben ser buenos servidores y de buen ingenio, que veo que muy presto dicen todo lo que les decía."
Translation mine.
FRIDAY, 12 OCTOBER, 1492
SOMEWHERE IN THE LUCAYAN ARCHIPELAGO (Bahamas)
"They must be good servants and of good understanding, for I see how quickly they repeat everything I tell them."
Columbus within hours of meeting the Indigenous Lucayan people.
17 SEP
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LOG
27 NOV
original (spanish)
"Y digo que Vuestras Altezas no deben consentir que aquí trate ni faga pie ningún extranjero, salvo católicos cristanos...ni venir a estas partes ninguno que no sea buen cristiano."
Translation mine.
TUESDAY, 27 NOVEMBER, 1492
OFF THE COAST OF CUBA
"And I say that Your Highnesses should not permit any foreigner to trade or set foot here except Catholic Christians, nor should anyone come to these parts who is not a good Christian."
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NOW
12 OCT
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LOG
24 DEC
GOLD MENTIONS*
*ACTUAL NUMBER TO COME
MONDAY, 24 DECEMBER, 1492
NORTHEASTERN AYITÍ (HAITI SIDE)
It is Nochebuena — the night the Spanish celebrate Christmas. Columbus spends it praising the people of Ayití as the finest he has encountered: generous, gentle, without guile. He is also trying to figure out where their gold comes from so he can take it.
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THE PRESENT
24 DEC
NAV
LOG
25 DEC
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TUESDAY, 25 DECEMBER, 1492
NORTHEASTERN AYITÍ (HAITI SIDE)
The Santa María runs aground. Columbus uses the wreckage to create a fort called La Navidad, the first European settlement in the Americas. He leaves 39 men to man the fort and develop the settlement.
None survived.
When Columbus returned in November of 1493 he found that the fort had been burned down by Cacique Caonabo following reported abuses by the Christians.
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Aug. 27, 1985
24 DEC
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LOG
13 JAN
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It is believed this encounter happened either near Playa Rincón in Las Galeras or Playa Las Flechas a few km east of Samaná (town).
SUNDAY, 13 JANUARY, 1493
NORTHWESTERN AYITÍ (SAMANÁ, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC)
The Ciguayo people sell two bows to Columbus's men. When they refuse to sell more, it turns physical. Two Ciguayos are wounded — the first Indigenous blood spilled by European hands in the Americas.
This also becomes the first recorded instance of Indigenous resistance to European invasion.
25 DEC
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LOG