Stone artefact production and exchange among the Northern lesser Antilles

Knippenberg, S. (2006)

Doctoral Thesis

This work discusses the exchange of stone materials and artefacts among the northern Lesser Antilles during the Ceramic Age (500 BC - AD 1492). Through the systematic analysis of source materials and a comparison of these with lithic artefacts, the provenance of a significant portion of stone material found at a number of prehistoric Amerindian habitation sites located on different islands from Puerto Rico to Martinique was determined. Following this the distribution of three specific materials, including a variety of flint from Long Island, Antigua, a grey-green mudstone and a multi-coloured conglomerate, both form St. Martin, were specified. These distribution patterns along with data on the production of the artefacts were used to determine the mode of exchange that was responsible for their spread. From these data it appeared that inter-island exchange was a recurrent feature among Amerindian society in the Caribbean throughout the entire Ceramic Age. Furthermore the differences in distributions through time could be related to changes in socio-political organisation within the region and supported the notion of increasing competition within society.

• Archaeology
• Prehistory
• Ceramic Age
• Caribbean
• Lesser Antilles
• Stone sourcing
• Chert
• Stone technology
• Exchange
• Social-political organisation

• All authors: Knippenberg, S.
• Supervisor: Louwe Kooijmans, L.P.
• Co-supervisor: Hofman, C.L.; Gijn, A.L. van
• Qualification: Doctor (dr.)
• Awarding Institution: Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University
• Date: 2006-06-06
• ISBN (print): 9789087280086
• Court: LEI Universiteit Leiden
• Sponsorship: The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO, the Hague; 250-053-23)