Pre-Columbian Vertebrate Remains from the Coconut Walk Site, Nevis, West Indies

Summary

Archaeological investigation of the Pre-Columbian site of Coconut Walk on the island of Nevis (northern Lesser Antilles) revealed midden deposits dating between ca. AD 850-1440. While the site had been previously excavated by the British Time Team television show in 1998, only cursory examination of faunal remains was conducted (NISP=451). We report on the complete analysis of more than 18,000 recovered vertebrate remains from a 5×5m trench in the core midden area, providing enhanced understanding of the relative importance of various taxa and methodological issues associated with recovery techniques at site.

Analysis indicates that the assemblage consists largely of herbivorous reef parrotfish species along with several species of pelagic fish, birds, lizards, and rodents such as the indigenous rice rat (Oryzomyini) and the introduced agouti (Dasyprocta sp .). When coupled with the invertebrate assemblage, the vertebrates constitute a complementary and extensive dataset to help examine human diet and site use on Nevis that provides a framework for understanding a host of issues related to Caribbean island adaptations during the Late Ceramic Age .

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage