ANGUILLA ARCHAEOLOGICAL & HISTORICAL SOCIETY
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Artefacts: clues to the past

Stone Turtle Zemi by Anguilla Archaeological & Historical Society on Sketchfab

​Archaeological Records

Archaeologists investigate past human cultures by studying clues to past human behaviour. The archaeological record is made up of artefacts, food remains, and features such as petroglyphs (rockart) found at locations of past human behaviour, or archaeological sites. Because the Amerindians of Anguilla did not have a written language
tradition, the archaeological record contains our only clues about more than 3,500 years of human history in Anguilla. Artefacts from their sites testify to their artistic creativity and technical skill as potters, jewelers, and stoneworkers.
By studying clues from their sites, we have learned that pre-Columbian Anguillians imported greenstone and a stone called calcirudite from St. Martin to make axes and three-pointed stone “zemi” idols. We have learned that they imported decorated pottery bowls and also made them in Anguilla with clay from Crocus Bay. We know that they were involved in a regional network of exchange that circulated these goods as well as those that don’t preserve such as feathers, basketry and wood.
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Late Ceramic Age ceramic Face, excavated from the Barnes Bay site. Circa A.D. 1000-1200 (by the University at Vermont) (AAHS collection)
The Anguilla Archaeological and Historical Society (AAHS) and visiting archaeologists have documented evidence of more than 40 Amerindian sites in Anguilla representing villages, ceremonial sites and smaller areas of activity. Archaeological surveys and excavations have been conducted at many of them, documenting the island’s rich heritage. For example, faculty and students from the University of Vermont have investigated sites in Barnes Bay, Rendezvous Bay, Sandy Ground, Sandy Hill, the Forest, Windward Point, and nearby Shoal Bay East. We know from these sites that, in all senses, Amerindians in Anguilla lived by the sea. Most of their villages were near the sea and salt ponds. In addition to growing crops like cassava, they depended on fish to survive and canoes to maintain their social and trade connections with communities on other islands.
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Bird-Human Effigy by Anguilla Archaeological & Historical Society on Sketchfab

​​ANGUILLA’S AMERINDIAN HERITAGE  by Nik Douglas

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​Anguilla has a rich Amerindian heritage which has been explored and documented only over the past two decades or so. The first archaeology survey of Anguilla, done by a visiting team of archaeologists in 1979, discovered one preceramic ‘archaic’ stone-age site and nineteen sites dating to the ‘ceramic’ period, including The Fountain, a ceremonial cave with fresh water pools and important rock carvings and petroglyphs. The report concluded: “Anguilla has one of the richest archaeological heritages in the region, which it should strive to protect and develop.” Largely because of these discoveries, Anguilla’s first luxury hotel was called Malliouhana – one of the Amerindian names for the island.
 
Founded in 1981, the Anguilla Archaeological and Historical Society organised field trips, looked for additional Amerindian habitations, monitored  the existing ones and gathered cultural artefacts from the existing ones and gathered cultural artefacts from the surface and from recovery digs whenever sites were impacted by tourism development. Within a short time, the known Amerindian sites expanded to more than forty in Anguilla and the offshore cays, including villages, small habitations, cultivated areas, outposts and caves. The array of carvings and petroglyphs at The Fountain was further documented, and test pits dug, which confirmed the Amerindian use of the cave as a sacred sanctuary. A second major ceremonial cave with a water source – ‘Big Spring’ – was discovered and the petroglyphs and rock carvings recorded.
 
Scientists from several US, European and Caribbean institutions have carried out important field-work, including Cuban petroglyph experts who travelled to Anguilla from South America in an Amerindian canoe in November 1987. Over the years, specialists in Caribbean pre-Columbian archaeology made repeated visits, scientific digs and organised field schools, and Anguilla’s Amerindian heritage and its regional significance was firmly established. Work done by Dr James Peterson showed that many of the pre-Columbian ceramics found in Anguilla, including many from The Fountain, incorporated materials brought from other islands. Some of these ceramics were possibly used to contain offerings to the Amerindian deities.
 
More than 60,000 of Anguilla’s Amerindian artefacts have now been collected and properly documented through research funded by a grant from UNESCO (United Nations Educational Social and Cultural Organisation). Many components of Anguilla pre-Columbian sites have now been scientifically dated, proving that Amerindians arrived and lived here at least 3200 years ago (the archaic period), and settled here repeatedly, establishing large village communities, seemingly reaching a population peak around 600 years ago. These Amerindians were of Arawak cultures from mainland South America. They were peaceful cultivators, mariners and fisher folk, playful yet spiritually motivated people governed by chiefs whose culture included ballgames, music, art and dance. Their contributions to the world include the development of cotton, corn, cassava, pineapple, and other key crops, as well as the words ‘hammock’, ‘tobacco’, ‘barbecue’ and ‘hurricane’. Their settlements were located throughout Anguilla and were in evidence up to the late 15th century – around the time of the arrival of Christopher Columbus. The Caribs were a war-like Amerindian culture whose tribes raided and migrated to some islands in the region about the same time. A Carib on Anguilla, from Dominica and St Vincent, occurred in 1656. But to date there is no evidence of any permanent Carib settlements here.

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​Many of Anguilla’s Arawak Amerindian sites are much larger than those on other islands in the region. For such a small island, this is remarkable. Recently, John Crock from the University of Pittsburgh, was awarded a doctorate for his work on Anguillian pre-Columbian archaeology and his theses that in Amerindians times Anguilla was a regionally significant ceremonial centre and a hub in a cultural, economic and political network. The evidence he assembled suggested that Amerindians who lived in Anguilla traded high status ceremonial artefacts, made here from imported raw materials, to communities in other Caribbean islands. Many pyramidical-shaped ‘zemi’ spirit power images, made from extremely hard stones, were produced in Anguilla and exported throughout the region, as well as axes made from imported green stones. Anguillian Amerindians also made wooden idols with shell inlays, bone snuff tubes, sophisticated shell jewellery and exquisite shell ‘masks’ – symbols of chiefly power and authority.
 
In 1985, the Government of Anguilla acquired The Fountain and the adjoining land for development as a show cave and National Park. Since then, numerous surveys and studies have firmly established the importance of this resource, which includes a large carved stalagmite representing ‘Jocahu’, the Arawak Indian creator deity. Dr C. Dubelaar, one of the foremost specialists in Amerindian petroglyphs of the Caribbean, states that Anguilla’s Fountain cave is “the best petroglyph cave in the whole area”.
 
The Fountain cavern is now awaiting formal inclusion as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites. Additional adjoined lands have been acquired which increases the park to almost fifteen acres, and now fully protects the cave itself and allowing space for proper development which will include a tunnel entrance, museum building, workshop Arawak garden and Marine Park, and visitor parking. A recently completed feasibility study, and a publication from the National Speleological Society of the United Stated, have endorsed the project, as does the Government of Anguilla.
 
Interestingly, most of Anguilla’s pre-Columbian sites were located behind beaches, on land with nice views and god breezes – locations which have since been selected for tourism development. Anguilla’s prime luxury Cap Juluca hotel, was named after ‘Juluca’ the rainbow deity of the Amerindians, and a petroglyph image from The Fountain has been used as the resort’s logo. An Amerindian shrine is planned for Cap Juluca as part of a future spa development project.
 
In time. The Amerindian heritage will no doubt become a significant ingredient of Anguilla’s tourism industry. The establishment of a national museum, The Fountain show cave and national park, and the Big Spring National Park, as well as the development of other Amerindian sites, will soon be available to the public. By then, and as archaeologists continue their work, we may discover enough additional information to fully understand Anguilla’s Amerindian heritage, and its significance to the region as a whole.

Bone Shark Effigy Inhaler by Anguilla Archaeological & Historical Society on Sketchfab

Pelican Ceramic Bowl Fragment by Anguilla Archaeological & Historical Society on Sketchfab

PRE-COLUMBIAN ARTEFACTS DONATED TO THE SOCIETY:  A CHECKLIST

Ceramic pot recovered from Corito in October 1980 by Dr Berglund while excavating for a cistern, at a depth of about 5 feet. Arawak culture circa 600-800 A.D. Dimensions: 4.5 inches x 5 inches wide. Donated by Dr David Berglund, February 1986.
Three-pointed stone ‘Zemi’ with deeply engraved chevron markings at each side of the apex. Found at Barnes Bay site on 24th November 1979 while doing an Archaeological Survey of Anguilla for The Island Resources Foundation. Arawak culture circa 900-1200 A.D. Diorite (conglomerate igneous) stone, polished and the base concave. Dimension: 4.75 inches x 2.4 inches high. Donation by Alfredo Figuerdo and David Carty, November 1979 and March 1986.
Deeply grooved three-pointed stone ‘Zemi’. From the Sandy Ground site, 7 March 1985. Arawak culture circa 900-1100 A.D. Well polished hard sandstone. Dimensions: 4 inches long x 2.25 inches high. Donatied by Nik Douglas, March 1986.
Large fragment of a three pointed stone ‘Zemi’ with engraved ‘feathered’ markings. From Lockrum Bay site, 1 September 1984. Arawak culture circa 900-1100 A.D. Brown crystalline rock, the base grooved. Dimensions: 5.75 inches long x 2.5 inches high. Donated by Nik Douglas, March 1985.
Almost complete three pointed stone ‘Zemi’ anthropomorphic type, with a face at one end. From Sandy Ground site, 21 October 1984. Arawak culture circa 900-1200 A.D.Diorite (conglomerate igneous) stone, polished and with the base concave. Dimensions: 3 inches long x 1.75 inches high. Donated by Nyima Douglas, march 1985.
Three pointed stone ‘Zemi’, possibly representing a whale. From Sandy Hill Bay site, 22 July 1985. Arawak culture circa 900-1100 A.D. Diorite (conglomomerate igneous) rock, pecked, the base flat. Dimensions: 2.5 inches long x 1.5 inches high. Donated by Penny Slinger, November 1985.
Large fragment of a large zoomorphic stone ‘Zemi’, probably representing a turtle. From Sandy Hill Bay site, 19 August 1984. Arawak culture circa 1200-1400 A.D. Reddish-brown and light flecked igneous rock, well carved and polished, the base concave. Dimensions: 3.5 inches x 2.5 inches high. Donated by Nik Douglas, November 1985.
Large fragment of a large zoomorphic stone ‘Zemi’, probably representing a turtle. From Sandy Hill Bay site, 19 August 1984. Arawak culture circa 1200-1400 A.D. Reddish-brown and light flecked igneous rock, well carved and polished, the base concave. Dimensions: 5 inches x 2.5 inches high. Donated by Nik Douglas, November 1985.
Reconstructed fired clay vessel, probably a ceremonial bowl. Originally in approx. 100 pieces. From Anguilla’s Fountain Cavern, 13|21 April 1984. Arawak culture of the later ‘Elenoid@ type, circa 1400 A.D. Red clay with reddish slip, the fired section grey and with black fire markings on the eouter surface. Dimensions: 6 inches high x 11.5 inches at widest point. Reconstructed and donated by Nik Douglas, 1984|85.
Fine polished stone axe, with good point and edge. Found at Rendezvous Bay site on 17th August 1985. Arawak culture circa 600-1000 A.D. The material is dense, greenish flecked, the shape well made by grinding. Dimensions: 3.25 inches long x 1.75 inches at widest part. Donated by Nik Douglas, January 1986.
Shell carved in the form of a face or ‘mask’, used ceremonially and of the type referred to by Columbus as ‘guayzas’, distinctive symbols used by chiefs and other distinguished persons. The eyes are perforated and may have once held good pieces or precious stones. The facial markings are deeply engraved, the lines around the eyes and mouth are of the stylenormally associated with the Shipibo mainland Indians. Arawak culture circa 900-1200 A.D. From the Rendezvous Bay site, recovered by Dr Michael McCulloch (a Boston from Ontario, Canada) in the week of 10 November 1985. Dimensions: 2.25 inches x 3 3|8 inches high. The back is hollow and it appears this object has been carved from the outer lip of a large conch shell. Donated by Dr Michael McCulloch, 15th November 1985.
Stone carved in the form of a face, with an arc over the head. Found at the Island Harbour site on 7 September 1985. Arawak culture circa 900-1200 A.D. The markings engraved in grey slightly shiny igneous stone. Dimensions: 2.25 inches long x 1.75 inches wide. Donated by Penny Slinger, September 1985.
Three pointed stone ‘Zemi’ of pure pyramidical equilateral form. Found at Little Harbour site on 4th January 1986. Arawak culture circa 900-1000 A.D. The material is a whitish type of hard limestone, the shape made by pecking and grinding. Dimensions: 2.75 inches wide x 1.75 inches high. Donated by Nyima Douglas, January 1986.
Fine polished stone axe, with good point and edge. Found at Rendezvous Bay site on 17th August 1985. Arawak culture circa 600-1000 A.D. The material is dense, greenish flecked, the shape well made by grinding. Dimensions: 3.25 inches long x 1.75 inches at widest part. Donated by Nik Douglas, January 1986.
In November 1985, Dr David Berglund noticed a large clay pot under a bush in the Corito area. Seeing that it had been discarded, he recovered it and donated it to the Society. This vessel has proved to be an enigma. It is of historical type somewhat similar to Nevis ware of the last century but may date from an earlier period and shows some distinctly ‘Carib’ traits, especially a very thick crystalline temper. The dimensions are 6.25 inches high x 13 inches in width. It has a break and a piece missing in one side and a hole punched in the bottom. There is a possibility this is a burial vessel of the late Carib period, circa 1600 A.D., but until thermoluminesence tests are done and comparative research completed nothing definite can be determined. Roland Richardson has donated a number of shell, stone and pottery Amerindian items recovered from the Sandy Ground and Forest North sites.
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Click below to read.

​Crock and Petersen 1999 A Long and Rich Cultural Heritage
​ The Anguilla Archaeology Project 1992-1998

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  • Home
    • Archaeology in Anguilla
    • Fountain Cavern & Big Spring
    • Anguilla Revolution 1967
    • People
  • About Us
    • The Board
    • Our Work >
      • History of the AAHS
    • About Anguilla
  • Cultural & Historical Videos
  • PHOTO GALLERIES
    • Anguilla Revolution
    • Archaeological Treasures
    • Around the Island
    • Dog Island
    • Jollification
    • Maps and Charts
    • Sailing & Boatbuilding
    • Salt Production
    • Sombrero Island
    • 1962 Lomax Collection
  • Selected Readings
    • Don Mitchell CBE QC
    • Historical Documents & Papers
    • Traditional Herbal Remedies
  • PROJECTS
    • Old Court House Restoration
    • Hughes Estate Research Project
    • Temple University Summer Research Trips
    • Endangered Archives Programme
    • Shipwreck Survey 2009
    • Crock and Petersen 1999
    • A Survey of Anguilla 1956
  • Tours & Fun
  • Join Us
  • Contact Us