Chapter 1: from the first people to the Spanish ranch island
Long before the first European ships arrived, Aruba was already inhabited. This chapter covers the first people on the island, the Caquetío and the Spanish period from 1499 to 1636.
The first inhabitants
Archaeological finds show that people lived on Aruba from around 2500 BC. These first inhabitants were fishers and hunter-gatherers who lived mainly along the coast. At Malmok, archaeologists excavated a burial site from this early period.
The Caquetío
From around 900 to 1000 AD, the Caquetío settled on the island. They were an Arawak people from the Falcón region in present-day Venezuela, only a short distance across the sea. They lived in villages such as Santa Cruz, Savaneta and Tanki Flip, made pottery and grew crops.
The Caquetío left drawings and carvings on rocks and in caves, for example in Fontein Cave and at the Ayo rock formation. They can still be seen today.
Where does the name Aruba come from?
Nobody knows for sure. The most common explanations come from the Caquetío language: "ora" (shell) and "oubao" (island), or "oruba", meaning well situated. The popular story that the name comes from the Spanish "oro hubo" ("there was gold") is a myth: no gold was known on the island in the Spanish period. The name "Aruba" appears on a map as early as 1516.
The Spanish period (1499–1636)
In 1499 the Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda reached the island and claimed it for Spain. Because no gold or other riches were found, the Spanish called Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire the "islas inútiles": the useless islands.
Between 1513 and 1515 the Spanish deported around 2,000 Caquetío from the three islands to Hispaniola to work in the mines. Some were later allowed to return. Under Juan de Ampíes, the Spanish governor in Coro, the islands were used as ranches for cattle and horses.
The history of Aruba in four chapters
- Chapter 2: Dutch and English Rule
- Chapter 3: Gold, Aloe and Oil
- Chapter 4: Status Aparte and Autonomy
See for yourself
- Caves of Aruba – rock drawings in Fontein Cave
- Ayo & Casibari rock formations
- Savaneta – Aruba's oldest settlement
Good to know
- First inhabitants: around 2500 BC
- Caquetío: from around 900–1000 AD
- Spanish arrival: 1499, Alonso de Ojeda
Historical sources do not always agree on exact dates and numbers; this overview follows the most widely supported accounts.
See also: the history of Aruba.
Last updated: September 2026.