This dissertation takes a technological approach to ceramic production and provides a fine-grained view of the circum-Caribbean region. It discusses the usefulness of the chaîne opératoire... Show moreThis dissertation takes a technological approach to ceramic production and provides a fine-grained view of the circum-Caribbean region. It discusses the usefulness of the chaîne opératoire methodology, together with the community of practice theory, as models to potentially explore questions related to the boundedness and cultural relations of peoples during the precolonial, colonial and postcolonial periods. Each chapter tackles diverse aspects of the manufacturing process, from the procurement of the raw materials to the forming stage and provide different cases of how methodologies need to be tailored to answer specific research questions. Geochemical and petrographic analysis combined with macro and micro-observations of the ceramic materials from different sites in Nicaragua, Haiti, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico clarify the human-environment interactions and socio-cultural aspects of communities in precolonial times, and during the colonial and postcolonial periods. Show less
This dissertation investigates the functioning of human-animal interactions at precolumbian Indigenous sites located in the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. The five case studies that comprise this... Show moreThis dissertation investigates the functioning of human-animal interactions at precolumbian Indigenous sites located in the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. The five case studies that comprise this work investigate the mortality ages and morphologies of animals, and the dietary linkages between humans and several animal species commonly found in archaeological sites throughout the Greater Antilles such as domesticated dogs and possibly managed endemic rodents known as hutias. Isotopic analysis of animal remains was conducted to determine the consumption of maize as a proxy for investigating closeness in human-animal interactions. In the frame of niche construction theory, the evidence presented in this dissertation relates to the environmental practices of Indigenous peoples. Slash-and-burn farming was a widely practiced environmental management strategy throughout the region which likely created mosaiced plant communities consisting of garden plots and old-growth forest. These mixed anthropogenic and natural environments have been shown to be beneficial to some dietary generalists, and the abundance of hutias in archaeological sites might be the result of ‘garden hunting’ of species that benefited from horticultural practices. This may have constituted a form of animal management that is tied to plant food production, and therefore represents an arguably sustainable form of low-level food production. Show less
Adorning one’s body was a widespread practice in the precolonial Caribbean, notably during the Ceramic Age (400 BC–ca. AD 1500). Despite the abundance of ornament collections recovered from the... Show moreAdorning one’s body was a widespread practice in the precolonial Caribbean, notably during the Ceramic Age (400 BC–ca. AD 1500). Despite the abundance of ornament collections recovered from the region, much remains unknown concerning their biographies. This dissertation aims to elucidate evolving patterns in ornament production, use, and exchange through technological and microwear analyses. It is composed of four articles published in peer-reviewed journals. The first half proposes a research strategy for studying circum-Caribbean collections, which are markedly diverse in their origins, raw materials, and preservation state. Furthermore, an ethnographic museum collection, including whole necklaces, is studied as basis for interpretation. In the second part, collections from two time periods are studied: 1) the early part of the Early Ceramic Age in the eastern Caribbean; and 2) the Late Ceramic Age in the Greater Antilles. In each case-study, the presence of technical products and use-wear are combined to elucidate exchange patterns. This approach contributes toward a new assessment of large-scale interactions and the social mechanisms responsible for them. The dissertation concludes by reflecting on the changing ways people have handled, engaged with, and ultimately regarded ornaments over the course of the Ceramic Age period. Show less
In this study, we generate novel insights regarding bodily ornaments from indigenous societies of late precolonial Greater Antilles. Previous research has highlighted the sociopolitical role of... Show moreIn this study, we generate novel insights regarding bodily ornaments from indigenous societies of late precolonial Greater Antilles. Previous research has highlighted the sociopolitical role of valuable, exotic, and figurative ornaments, yet there are many gaps in our current understanding of these artifacts. Here, we focus on ornaments from five recently excavated sites in the Dominican Republic (AD 800–1600). We used microwear analysis to investigate each ornament and assess its production sequence and use life. These data permitted the definition of morpho-technical groups, which we then compared to depositional contexts and the regional availability of raw materials. We demonstrate that (1) there was small-scale production of ornaments at the sites, (2) the most recurrent morpho-technical groups were likely imported from production centers, and (3) ornaments of the same group could lead different use lives and be deposited through varied processes. We conclude that bodily ornaments had highly diverse biographies involving local and regional interaction networks. Show less
The present paper examines bodily ornaments made of semiprecious lithic materials from the site of Pearls on the island of Grenada. The site was an important node in long-distance interaction... Show moreThe present paper examines bodily ornaments made of semiprecious lithic materials from the site of Pearls on the island of Grenada. The site was an important node in long-distance interaction networks at play between circum-Caribbean communities during the first centuries of the Common Era. Pearls was an amethyst bead-making workshop and a gateway to South America, from where certain lapidary raw materials likely originated. The importance of the site for regional archaeology and local stakeholders cannot be overstated. However, it has undergone severe destruction and looting over the decades. Here, we present a study of a private collection of ornaments from Pearls, which combines raw material identification, typo-technological analysis and microwear analysis.We identify great diversity in lithologies and in techniques adapted to their working properties. Multiple abrasive techniques for sawing, grinding, polishing and carving are identified. Furthermore, the use of ornaments is examined for the first time. Finally, we contrast our dataset to other Antillean sites and propose management patterns for each raw material. Our approach ultimately provides new insights on ornament making at Pearls and on its role in regional networks. Show less
This dissertation is a contribution to the conceptualisation of the Caribbean Saladoid zoomorphic iconography (i.e., a ceramic series dating 200/800 BCE to 400/600 CE). To this end, indigenous... Show moreThis dissertation is a contribution to the conceptualisation of the Caribbean Saladoid zoomorphic iconography (i.e., a ceramic series dating 200/800 BCE to 400/600 CE). To this end, indigenous South American narratives have been analysed, serving as a framework in order to investigate the imagery on display. It is with reason that we humans tell stories from the very moment we are able to speak: storytelling is a strategy through which we make sense of the world around us. In addition, narratives are a means to share and transmit knowledge. They therefore themselves provide information not only on the people that tell them but also on how they perceive the world. Caribbean archaeologists aim to understand past Caribbean cultures by means of their material culture, in the broadest sense. We seek to reconstruct political and social structures, belief systems and the everyday lives of communities. The focal point of the archaeological study presented here is the Saladoid zoomorphic iconography, in particular ceramic modelled and incised animal/human figurines or head lugs (adorno). Identified zoomorphic adornos have been introduced as case studies in order to answer the central question: what does this imagery tell us about the indigenous peoples who created it? Show less
This paper addresses a database collected and constructed as part of PhD research project on the north-western coast of the Dominican Republic. The PhD was part of the ERC Synergy Grant NEXUS 1492:... Show moreThis paper addresses a database collected and constructed as part of PhD research project on the north-western coast of the Dominican Republic. The PhD was part of the ERC Synergy Grant NEXUS 1492: New World Encounters in a Globalizing World. The database was collected during fieldwork campaigns between 2014 and 2015. Fieldwork consisted of a regional survey, material culture registry and collection, test pit excavation, and processing relevant environmental variables. The archaeological data consists of a record of 102 archaeological sites, the material culture associated with them (lithic, shell and coral objects, shell mollusk species), and the relationship between site location and a set of relevant environmental variables used for statistical analysis. This database is one of the only open access archaeological databases available at the moment in the Caribbean and can be reused by any Caribbean archaeologist working in the Greater Antilles. Show less
The arrival of Columbus to the Caribbean in 1492 marked a milestone in world history. In both the European and the indigenous world, a set of economic, political and hierarchical networks and... Show moreThe arrival of Columbus to the Caribbean in 1492 marked a milestone in world history. In both the European and the indigenous world, a set of economic, political and hierarchical networks and relations were defined, structured and changed. To approach the transformations that took place in the indigenous world a regional archaeological investigation (coast of the Montecristi province, Dominican Republic) was combined with a theoretical framework that integrated: the concepts of taskscape and contested landscapes with statistical analysis and Geographic Information Systems, to evaluate the patterns of material culture distribution and its cultural implications. This allowed indigenous taskscapes to be defined at different spatial scales, which in turn permitted the delineation of the indigenous landscape before the arrival of Columbus. The archaeological results were compared with evidence from the early colonial chronicles and cartography for the north of the island. This comparison highlighted the spatial and material bases for the transformation of the indigenous landscape. The final results were encapsulated by two transformations of the indigenous landscape, called the Everyday Level, and the Imaginary Level. Show less
Satellite imagery has had limited application in the analysis of pre-colonial settlement archaeology in the Caribbean; visible evidence of wooden structures perishes quickly in tropical climates.... Show moreSatellite imagery has had limited application in the analysis of pre-colonial settlement archaeology in the Caribbean; visible evidence of wooden structures perishes quickly in tropical climates. Only slight topographic modifications remain, typically associated with middens. Nonetheless, surface scatters, as well as the soil characteristics they produce, can serve as quantifiable indicators of an archaeological site, detectable by analyzing remote sensing imagery. A variety of pre-processed, very diverse data sets went through a process of image registration, with the intention to combine multispectral bands to feed two different semi-automatic direct detection algorithms: a posterior probability, and a frequentist approach. Two 5 × 5 km2 areas in the northwestern Dominican Republic with diverse environments, having sufficient imagery coverage, and a representative number of known indigenous site locations, served each for one approach. Buffers around the locations of known sites, as well as areas with no likely archaeological evidence were used as samples. The resulting maps offer quantifiable statistical outcomes of locations with similar pixel value combinations as the identified sites, indicating higher probability of archaeological evidence. These still very experimental and rather unvalidated trials, as they have not been subsequently groundtruthed, show variable potential of this method in diverse environments. Show less
A mere day after his first footfall in the Americas, Columbus notes the broad foreheads of its inhabitants. These cranial shapes are deliberately created by applying pressure to the infant’s head... Show moreA mere day after his first footfall in the Americas, Columbus notes the broad foreheads of its inhabitants. These cranial shapes are deliberately created by applying pressure to the infant’s head after birth. Facing Society studies indigenous identities through head shaping practices against the backdrop of broader social developments in Caribbean communities before and after 1492 through a multi-disciplinary approach combining archaeology, (ethno)history, anthropology, and sociology. The first evidence of intentional cranial modification comes from the Early Ceramic Age, however by the Late Ceramic Age it was found across the Caribbean. Different regional patterns emerge in conjunction with diverging social developments. For example, the relatively homogeneous pattern of cranial modification seen in the Greater Antilles indicates a collective identity fostering social cohesion in expanding communities and connecting distant villages within the interaction sphere. The Early Colonial Period was transformative for indigenous communities and identities, and consequently caused a decline in head shaping practices. An unexpected revival was seen among the Black Carib, a community of free African descendants on St. Vincent. Traces of head shaping practices can still be found to this day demonstrating the lasting importance of indigenous social practices in the cultural mosaic of the current Caribbean. Show less
Human skeletal remains from archaeological contexts in the Dutch Caribbean and the rest of the region are curated in a variety of facilities such as museums and the premises of heritage... Show moreHuman skeletal remains from archaeological contexts in the Dutch Caribbean and the rest of the region are curated in a variety of facilities such as museums and the premises of heritage organizations, history and archaeology interest groups or in some cases private collections. These curating facilities deal with various challenges regarding the care for human remains, but in many cases a lack of sufficient resources affects the conservation of the human remains that have been under long-term curation. This chapter discusses some of the ways in which storage conditions and documentation of human skeletal remains in the region may cost-effectively be improved. Legislation and guidelines pertaining to the treatment of archaeological human remains in other parts of the world provide a potential framework for the development of conservation strategies for human skeletal remains under (long-term) curation in both the Dutch Caribbean, where legislation and guidelines for Dutch archaeology have recently been introduced, and the Caribbean region as a whole. While conservation of human remains is in the interest of all stakeholders, this chapter emphasizes the strengthening of ties between visiting researchers and curators in order to effectively make use of the available expertise and maintain conservation with very few resources. A model for the post-recovery treatment of archaeological human remains based on museum guidelines recently developed in Europe and shared responsibility between visiting researchers and curators is proposed. Show less
The Caribbean archaeological record requires immediate attention and protection. Development and natural forces have impacted archaeological sites, destroying or severely damaging them. The... Show moreThe Caribbean archaeological record requires immediate attention and protection. Development and natural forces have impacted archaeological sites, destroying or severely damaging them. The precolumbian site of Lavoutte, located in northern Saint Lucia, has been known as a major Late Ceramic Age (A.D. 1000–1500) settlement since the 1960s, but it has been damaged over the past decades by both natural and human processes. Multidisciplinary field and laboratory methodologies were implemented during a rescue project at the site from 2009 to 2010. This paper presents the results of collaborative efforts between local and international organizations. The first goal was to demonstrate the importance of protection and rescue of endangered archaeological sites. Secondly, we aimed to show that by adopting a multidisciplinary approach including artifact analysis, bioarchaeology, paleoenvironmental reconstruction, and geochemistry, severely damaged sites can be of significant informational value. Show less
This study represents a contribution to the pre-Colonial archaeology of the Windward Islands in the Caribbean. The research aimed to determine how the Ceramic Age (400 BC – AD 1492) Amerindian... Show moreThis study represents a contribution to the pre-Colonial archaeology of the Windward Islands in the Caribbean. The research aimed to determine how the Ceramic Age (400 BC – AD 1492) Amerindian inhabitants of the region related to one another and others at various geographic scales, with a view to better understanding social interaction and organization within the Windward Islands as well the integration of this region within the macro-region. This research approached the study of intra- and inter-island interaction and social development through an island-by-island study of 640 archaeological sites and their ceramic assemblages. Besides providing insight into settlement sequences, patterns and micro-mobility through time, it also highlighted various configurations of sites spread across islands that were united by shared ceramic (decorative) traits. These configurations were more closely examined by taking recourse to graph-theory. By extending the comparative scope of this research, possible material cultural influences from more distant regions could be suggested. While Windward Island communities developed a localized material cultural identity, they remained open to influences from outside the micro-region. Windward Island communities actively and flexibly realigned themselves with several mainland South American societies in Late Ceramic Age times (AD 700-1500), forging and maintaining significant ties and exchange relationships Show less
What was the pre-Columbian house like? The aim of the PhD research was to come to an archaeological vision of precolonial domestic life in Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti), rather than... Show moreWhat was the pre-Columbian house like? The aim of the PhD research was to come to an archaeological vision of precolonial domestic life in Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti), rather than rely on Spanish colonial descriptions from the 15th and 16th centuries. The dissertation presents archaeological research from the site of El Cabo, perched on a coastal promontory at the extreme eastern end of the Dominican Republic, and seven centuries of indigenous community history from its development and florescence, to eventual demise through the dominant structure, the house. Over two thousand archaeological features cut directly into the limestone bedrock, and an artefact assemblage of pottery, shell and stone led to reconstructions of fifty domestic structures, thirty of which are houses, which formed part of a community between ca. AD 800 and 1504. The repeated rebuilding, or renewal of houses led to the development of long-lived estates, referred to as House Trajectories, the most successful of which lasted up to 500 years. These results offer new, deep perspectives on precolonial domestic dynamics. Show less
