After capturing global headlines for her relentless search for the tomb of Cleopatra in Egypt, world-renowned archaeologist Kathleen Martínez Nazar is turning her sights toward her homeland for a new, historic mission: locating the remains of Cacique Enriquillo, known as the first revolutionary of the Americas.
Martínez, whose work at the Taposiris Magna temple in Egypt has made her one of the most recognized names in modern archaeology, will lead an international team to the ruins of Pueblo Viejo in Azua. The objective is to find the final resting place of the legendary indigenous leader who staged the first successful rebellion against European colonial rule in the Americas.
The project, titled “Following the Footsteps of Cacique Enriquillo,” marks a significant pivot for Martínez. While her career has been defined by the mysteries of the Ptolemaic dynasty, this mission focuses on a pivotal figure of Caribbean resistance.
The excavation is scheduled to run from 2 to 28 February, backed by the Dominican government (Propeep) and the Macarrulla Foundation. Martínez is bringing the same high-level scientific rigor used in Egypt to the Dominican soil, accompanied by a prestigious team including Dr. Aya Salem, a specialist from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. He will work with a multidisciplinary group of archaeologists and anthropologists focused on funerary science.
The search for Enriquillo is being treated as a matter of “historical justice.” Lidia Martínez de Macarrulla, the project’s executive director, noted that the investigation places the Dominican Republic at the center of a continental dialogue regarding indigenous heritage.
By applying the same archaeological expertise used to hunt for lost queens of the Nile to the quest for the first revolutionary of the New World, the mission seeks to elevate Enriquillo’s legacy from local legend to a recognized symbol of global resistance and dignity.
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El Dia
Diario Libre
27 January 2026