Historical Archaeology in the Caribbean: New Directions and Current Perspectives

In a conference dedicated to reviving ‘questions that count,’ this symposium is a forum to revive previous questions and formulate new ones in inter- and intra-island contexts across the Caribbean. All parts of the Caribbean were shaped by the same forces, among the most prominent of which are race-based slavery, sugar, capitalism, and the tropical and sometimes deadly natural environment. But within these commonalities there is also a great deal of diversity. Different crops, such as cotton, coffee, or indigo create different social and economic environments, and each island has a unique history which influences daily life and political and social developments. In the last three decades, archaeologists have incorporated the latest theoretical and analytical trends to explore this diversity, studying enslaved populations in urban, military, and plantation contexts, but also the lives of indentured servants and free people of color.