The Earliest Inhabitants: The Dynamics of the Jamaican Taino

Later on the Spanish settled in these areas, followed by the English (for
instance, Seville and Bellevue sites in St Ann). The majority of these areas
have been selected for housing development. The cases of Chancery Hall and
Long Mountain, both in St Andrew, illustrate the impact of housing development
on Taíno sites.
Chancery Hall Phase Two, St Andrew
The subcontractors for the Chancery Hall Phase Two housing development
discovered the Chancery Hall Taíno site (Figure 5.3) in St Andrew in 1990,
during drilling and blasting for the construction of roadways and pipe
trenches. People who dealt with antiques reported that whole pots were recovered
from the site, along with a well-preserved stone axe and a stone arrow
point. A pot containing bones was also located. Seven burials were found at
the Chancery Hall site.
In 1993, archaeologist Carey McDonald of the Jamaica National Heritage
Trust visited the site and noted that it appeared to be a “major Amerindian
site” (McDonald 1993). All but one of the middens had been dug unprofessionally.
The archaeologist noted three areas:
• Area 1 – Three middens were located (one extensive and two moderate).
• Area 2 – This area was extensively cleared (topsoil clearing and extensive
trenching) Three extensive middens were located. McDonald also noted
that the contextual pattern of the soil might have been destroyed because
of the tractor clearance of the land.
• Area 3 – This area was located along Lord Nelson’s Drive, where tractors
had exposed a large midden. Coney jawbones, flint, griddle fragments
and potsherds were evident from this clearing.
In 1994, archaeologists from the Jamaica National Heritage Trust visited
the site again, seeking information about the site boundaries and who was
responsible for the current structural development, as the Jamaica National
Heritage Trust had not received formal notification about the development
project. The site was examined further and excavated. This examination
revealed that a house was to be built in an area that had previously been identified
as an archaeologically sensitive area. Another part of the site had been
almost completely destroyed by treasure hunters and looters. Layers of topsoil
had been removed by earth-moving equipment. Roads had been cut, and
preparations were being made for housing construction. There was also extensive
trenching in the area where the Taíno skeletons had been located.
Chancery Hall is a major Taíno site which has yielded large quantities of artefacts.
Radiocarbon dating of the site in 1992 had placed it at AD 1260 ± 50.
82 T HE E ARLIEST I NHABITANTS