You Come from Where? Ceramics and Cultural Exchange at Palmetto Junction

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Advances in the Archaeology of the Bahama Archipelago" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The Palmetto Junction site on Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands provides an abundant and diverse ceramic assemblage. These artifacts help describe movements of people, goods, and ideas among Lucayan Taino groups in the Bahama archipelago and affiliated Greater Antillean settlements to the south. The assemblage includes Meillacoid and Chicoid ceramics that were likely produced in Hispaniola and are commonly found in Lucayan sites in the Turks & Caicos Islands. However, the presence of sherds with elements of Saladoid zone-incised-crosshatch (ZIC ware) suggests ongoing contact with peoples east of the Mona Passage, perhaps Puerto Rico. Moreover, the discovery of an unusual style of imported pottery, adorned with fiber mat marking on the exterior body of the vessel, suggests that traditional Palmetto Ware motifs may have diffused out of the Bahama archipelago to influence potters in the Greater Antilles.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)   •
• Advances in the Archaeology of the Bahama Archipelago

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 25558