Early reports of a human skull found half-buried in a hollow led archaeologists to carry out a survey in order to identify possible hollows used by marrons.
"Coco le mort"
In 1791, following his expedition to the volcano region, Alexis Bert noted the existence of potato fields in the Fond de la Rivière de l’Est. He also added that this region was "the common refuge [of marrons]". More than a century later, this area of natural prairies became prized cattle rearing land. Around the 1950s and 1960s, some cattle breeders travelled to Fond de la Rivière de l’Est and began looking for a shelter where they could prepare their meal. They came across a cave in which they found a human skeleton. Called "Coco le mort" or "Dead Coco", it gave its name to the nearby piton.
Discoveries made during archaeological surveys
Two surveys carried out in the area around the Piton de Coco identified multiple rock shelters. One of them showed traces of anthropic occupation characterised by rock constructions – a low wall and windbreaks – along with fragments of coal and half-buried animal bones. Archaeologists failed to find the Coco cave, the human skeleton or the marron potato.
Conservation issues
The herds of semi-wild cattle that live here all year round have impacted on the potential archaeological remains since the animals tread on the bones and in doing so bury or break them. When cattle lack calcium they may also chew on the bones found in the soil.
