Project Background & Assignment
A major prehistoric site on the island of Carriacou in the Lesser Antilles has been the subject of intensive inquiry by archaeologists over the past several years. One issue that archaeologists are facing is that the site seems to be disappearing rapidly for unknown reasons. Throughout this website, you can find key information about the island, the site, and what was found.
Study the data and try to figure out as much as you can about the prehistory and history of the region and the changes in material culture, subsistence and cultural lifeways that archaeologists have recorded. Take a look at all of the photos and maps and use your readings, lectures notes and any other information you deem useful for reference. Then write up a report (5-6 typed, double-spaced pages, 12 pt, Times New Roman font) that interprets the evidence and answers the following question:
How has the Grand Cay archaeological site formed over time and what factors have contributed to its erosion?
To support your interpretations you should seriously consider analyzing and using maps, tables, and other figures in your paper. To help guide your interpretations make sure to consider the following:
- What are the main changes in the artifacts and chronology for Grand Cay? Can you divide the sequence into important phases of culture history? Describe the basis for your classification scheme and how the excavated levels from the different sites can fit into your sequence. For example, would you classify any of the occupation layers as “Saladoid” based on the artifacts or radiocarbon dates found?
- Can you suggest any potential biases in the types of data available that limits your ability to interpret the evidence? Can you suggest reasons for both environmental and cultural changes to the site and why these might have occurred? What relationships do you see between the site’s location and other natural sea or landforms that may have influenced Grand Cay’s destruction?
- What are the implications for understanding how Grand Cay evolved (and is evolving) over time? By pinpointing different causal factors for this site’s evolution due to natural and/or human induced activities, how can this help archaeologists devise strategies for locating other sites and preserving and protecting them?
Begin by exploring the links towards the top of the page labeled: Timelines, Archeological Investigations, Environment and Climate and Modern Development.
© The photographs and data presented in this module are copyrighted and may not be used without explicit permission. All information was collected as part of the Carriacou Archaeological Field Project, directed by Scott M. Fitzpatrick (NC State University), Quetta Kaye (University College London), and Michiel Kappers (In-Terris, The Netherlands).