NEXUS1492 investigates the impacts of colonial encounters in the Caribbean, the nexus of the first interactions between the New and the Old World. This Synergy Programme intends to rewrite a crucial and neglected chapter in global history initiated by European colonisation by focussing on transformations to indigenous, Amerindian cultures and societies. NEXUS1492 will address intercultural Amerindian-European-African dynamics at multiple temporal and spatial scales across the historical divide of 1492. The unique trans-disciplinary synergy of four PIs and their teams of archaeologists, social, natural and computer scientists, and heritage experts will pioneer new analytical tools, and apply multi-disciplinary cutting-edge techniques, theoretical frameworks and skill sets to provide a novel perspective on New World encounters in a globalising world. NEXUS1492 will work with local experts to develop sustainable heritage management strategies, creating a future for the past. This past is under threat from looting and illegal trade, construction development and natural disasters (e.g., climate change, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions). By placing the Caribbean’s indigenous past within a contemporary heritage agenda, this programme strives to increase the awareness and protection of heritage resources. The innovative approach and outcomes of NEXUS1492 will be of global scientific significance and high societal relevance.Four interlocking projects will address:1. Transformations of lifeways and deathways, landscapes, and material culture through archaeological investigations.2. Human mobility and the circulation of materials and objects through isotope geochemistry and archaeometry.3.Socio-cultural relationships and interactions through the reconstruction of archaeological networks.4. Heritage preservation through investigation of regulatory, legislative, and curatorial standards and community engagement efforts.