Michelle J. LeFebvre

Precolumbian Settlements on Carriacou, West Indies

Abstract The first systematic archaeological investigation of Precolumbian sites on the island of Carriacou in the West Indies provides a rich source of information regarding Amerindian settlement in the southern Caribbean. Herein, we report results from an island-wide survey and subsequent excavation at two large village sites—Grand Bay and Sabazan—that provide evidence for an intensive late Ceramic Age occupation dating between CAL. A.D. 400–1200. Results from four seasons of excavation at Grand Bay and two at Sabazan indicate that inhabitants colonized the island later than larger nearby islands (although an earlier settlement is possible); were engaged in inter-island and South American interactions as evidenced through analysis of pottery, stylistic artifacts, and faunal remains; exploited a variety of marine and terrestrial foods, including several animals rarely found in the Antilles that were translocated to the island from elsewhere; and buried their dead in and around shell middens and, at least once, under a habitable structure.

Guinea Pigs in the Pre-Columbian West Indies

ABSTRACT In archaeology, human-introduced animals provide clues about social interaction and movement of past peoples. Zooarchaeological records in the Caribbean show that pre-Columbian people introduced several South American mammals to different islands. This article examines all reported pre-Columbian zooarchaeological records of domesticated guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) in the Caribbean. Thus far, 218 bone fragments have been identified from 18 sites on nine islands. To date, our analysis indicates that guinea pigs were introduced to the islands after AD 500, possibly to the Greater Antilles first. Almost all are recovered from midden contexts. The contexts of guinea pig remains suggest that these animals were consumed as food and not considered an exotic or high-status food source with restricted consumption or other non-food uses such as ritual animals. The spatial and temporal patterns of guinea pigs suggest that the animals may have been linked to social identity and new patterns of trade, interaction, or population movement between the Caribbean and South America during the second half of the Caribbean Ceramic Age. Documenting the distribution and social significance of guinea pigs in the pre-Columbian Caribbean contributes to our understanding of how and why people introduced animals to island settings.

The Zooarchaeology of Islands: Towards Synergy and Synthesis

ABSTRACT In recent years much ink has been spilled debating the role, nature, and legitimacy of island archaeology as a subdiscipline within archaeology. No matter how islands and their archaeology are viewed, however, there can be no doubt that zooarchaeological studies of islands have gained increasing prominence in our efforts to understand human lifeways in these settings. Here we discuss current trends in island zooarchaeology and examine some of the diverse research agendas, novel developments, and approaches pursued in the archaeological analysis of insular faunas. These are considered with reference to the topically and geographically diverse research contributions comprising this special issue. We suggest that cross-regional collaborations such as this special issue are fundamental to advancing research and investigative goals of island- and coastal-based zooarchaeology.

Zooarchaeology in Practice

Zooarchaeology in Practice unites depth of treatment with broad topical coverage to advance methodological discussion and development in archaeofaunal analysis. Through case studies, historical accounts, and technical reviews authored by leading figures in the field, the volume examines how zooarchaeological data and interpretation are shaped by its methods of practice and explores the impact of these effects at varying levels of investigation. Contributing authors draw on geographically and taxonomically diverse datasets, providing instructive approaches to problems in traditional and emerging areas of methodological concern. Readers, from specialists to students, will gain an extensive, sophisticated look at important disciplinary issues that are sure to provoke critical reflection on the nature and importance of sound methodology. With implications for how archaeologists reconstruct human behavior and paleoecology, and broader relevance to fields such as paleontology and conservation biology, Zooarchaeology in Practice makes an enduring contribution to the methodological advancement of the discipline.

Contemporary Challenges in Zooarchaeological Specimen Identification

Zooarchaeology is a field heavily integrated with many other disciplines, including zoology, biology, ecology, geology, history, and anthropology. The basis of the discipline lies in the zooarchaeologist’s ability to identify faunal remains based on analogy with known specimens, either from a comparative faunal collection or from experience. Yet, today many zooarchaeologists work in regions of the world without adequate comparative materials or in diverse settings with different research demands, such as contract archaeology or forensic laboratories. At the same time, advances in genetic research are restructuring the phylogenetic classification schemes of many taxa, calling into question the foundation of zooarchaeological analogy. In this chapter we argue that zooarchaeologists, who have never had specific disciplinary-wide “research standards”, should seek epistemological flexibility regarding specimen identification, evaluation, and correction to continue the scientific advancement of the discipline. We review past zooarchaeologists’ concerns regarding the nature of specimen identification and data sharing, discuss the dynamic nature of species reclassification in phylogenetics and its effect on zooarchaeology, and provide case studies of challenges zooarchaeologists face while trying to make identifications in diverse settings and with less-than-adequate resources. Finally, we discuss the importance of maintaining epistemological flexibility in the age of “big data”, where shared datasets of identifications cannot and should not be seen as immutable entities, but rather observations that are subject to reanalysis, change, and improvement as zooarchaeologists keep abreast of ongoing discoveries in their own field as well as those of related disciplines.

Protecting Heritage in the Caribbean

Heritage management does not happen in an idealized vacuum of knowledge production, financial support, and social appreciation. Heritage management is inherently laden with political, economic, and cultural ramifications. Protecting Heritage in the Caribbean brings to the fore the complexitiesofheritagemanagementwithin a region of diverse island nations, territories, governments and histories. In a refreshingly honest, frank, and at times emotionally charged fashion, the contributors of this volume offer their perspectives regarding the state of heritage management andprotection/conservation throughout the Caribbean. While geographically focused on the Caribbean, readers will no doubt find the themesanddiscussionpresentedinthisbook applicable and timely to other world regions and cultural heritages.

Methods, Methodology, and Zooarchaeology in Practice

Careful consideration of the ways in which methods influence results has been a vital aspect of zooarchaeology’s development as a branch of archaeology. In this chapter we highlight several prominent methodological issues in archaeofaunal analysis and consider the ongoing nature and future prospects of methodological problems in general. The role of best practice guidelines is weighed against the need for methodological flexibility that balances scientific rigor, logistical constraints, and research goals. While we suggest that zooarchaeologists would be wise to avoid pursuing a universal set of methods, we join others in advocating for increased assurance of data quality and methodological transparency in the field. We conclude by reflecting on the present contributions to zooarchaeology’s methodological discourse and their role in advancing this agenda.