Pre-Columbian Settlement Trajectories in Eastern Dominica: Report on Initial Radiocarbon Age Estimates

ABSTRACT

Radiocarbon age estimates from a micro-regional survey of Eastern Dominica provide a chronological framework for Ceramic Age (ca. 400 BC to AD 1492) settlements and population movements in relation to inter-island communities of the Windward Islands. This report covers the design of the survey, the recovery context of the radiocarbon samples, and the implications for the future of research involving Dominica. Although only a small number of radiocarbon age estimates are reported, these are among the first published from systematically excavated pre-Columbian contexts in Dominica.

Keywords:

• Caribbean
• chronology
• settlement pattern

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work would not have been possible without the hard work of the Dominican crew: Edward Thomas, Junior (Garbo) Felix, David Prince, and Marcus Cuffy. Additional thanks to John G. Crock, Deidre R. Ferron, Allen Shearn, and Peggy Shearn for their editorial comments. Maps throughout this report were created using ArcGIS® software and imagery by Esri. ArcGIS® and ArcMap™ are the intellectual property of Esri and are used herein under license. Copyright © Esri.

FUNDING

This research was funded by the Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant BCS-124092, the US-UK Fulbright Commission, US Student Fellowship, Institute of International Education, a grant-in-aid of research from the Hyatt and Cici Brown Endowment at the University of Florida, and a Field Research Grant from the Latin American Studies Department at University of Florida.