The first written account of Native American religion. In the late 15th century, Friar Ramón Pané was sent by Christopher Columbus to live among the Taíno people of Hispaniola. What he recorded would become the earliest ethnographic chronicle of the Americas: a remarkable window into the mythology, rituals, and sacred cosmology of a world now vanished. This essential historical document includes: Firsthand accounts of Taíno origin stories —including their beliefs about the creation of the sun, moon, and mankind - Descriptions of zemí worship and sacred objects used to communicate with the spirit world - Observations of ceremonial practices , such as cohoba rituals and areytos (sacred chants and dances) - Testimony of a rare cultural encounter at the dawn of European colonization This new edition offers a clear, modern English translation of Pané’s narrative—accessible to general readers and vital for scholars of Indigenous history, anthropology, and religion. Whether you’re interested in the roots of Native American spirituality or the haunting complexity of first contact, Account of the Antiquities of the Indians is a foundational text—once forgotten, now revived. Published by Huayruro Editorial , specializing in lost voices and vital historical translations.