Crossing the Borders: New Methods and Techniques in the Study of Archaeological Materials from the Caribbean

26 / Hofman, Isendoorn, Booden, and Jacobs
been collected from Fort Amsterdam Cape, coast south of Guana Bay, near the
French border, above the valley north of Bel Air, roadside outcrop in the Mornes
Rouge on the west side of St. Martin, Anse des Pères, small riverbed running to
Anse des Pères, southern shore of Saline d’Orient, and hill south of Etang des Poissons.
Finally, on Anguilla, four clay samples have been collected from Crocus Bay,
Sandy Ground, and Bad Cox Pond (Booden and Isendoorn 2005; Hofman et al.
1993; Van Olst and Hoogland 1996). The sample of potsherds comprised an equal
amount of griddle sherds, decorated sherds, red slipped sherds, as well as undecorated
rim and body sherds next to bases from the sites of Spring Bay 1 (a, b, c), The
Bottom, and Kelbey’s Ridge 2 on Saba as well as some potsherds from the site of
Golden Rock on St. Eustatius.
Conventional Archaeological Methods
Workability Tests. Workability tests showed that two of the four Saban clays can
be regarded as suitable for making pottery. The workability properties of the clays
were tested, as was the suitability of the clay mixtures for coiling and molding. The
clays were experimentally fired to test the firing and postfiring behaviors of the
mixtures and for comparison with the precolonial potsherds.
Fabric analysis included macroscopic and microscopic observation. Fired sections
of the clays were compared with those of the potsherds and provided insights
into the microscopic and textural composition. This also provided information on
the potential source areas on Saba (see also Hofman 1993).
Of the Saban clays, the tests showed that those from Rendezvous Bay (Sab-02)
and Booby Hill (Sab-03) can be regarded as suitable for making pottery, whereas
the clays from Mount Scenery and Plum Piece are not. On St. Eustatius, Gilboa Hill
(STE-02) produced the best suitable clay. The one from Tumble Down Dick (STE-
01) seems best for making red slip. The clays collected on Anguilla and St. Martin
are all suitable.
Technological Experiments. Experiments with the manufacturing techniques showed
that much of the pottery produced with the Saban clays consists of a rather friable
material. This is caused by the presence of many nonplastic grains of several types
in the matrix (mainly silicates like quartz and feldspars, but also in lower quantities
pyroxenes, amphiboles, siltstones, and rock fragments). In general, the actual
clay content of the substances used for the pottery is low. Also, the original firing
temperature of the fabric was relatively low: between 650°C and 800°C. This has
been deduced from comparison of the original sample by a step- by- step refiring of
parts of the sample. These factors result in a fragile pottery that cracks easily, suggesting
that the life span of the products made from this friable material was relatively
short.
Noteworthy also is the fact that despite the presence of many nonplastic grains
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