Pre-Colombian Jamaica: Caribbean Archeology and Ethnohistory

7 / Cultural Variants
Details have already been given in Chapter 2 of the way in which different investigators
have over the years recognized at least four distinct cultural variants
in the Pre- Columbian material culture of Jamaica, usually on the basis of different
pottery types. The groupings are generally referred to as Redware, Montego
Bay, Port Morant, and White Marl sites. In addition, “syncretic Hispanic-
Indian” wares have been recognized at New Seville.
Redware Sites
Little River (A15) was the first site of this type to be investigated in Jamaica.
Marian de Wolf carried out excavations here in 1933, but the results were not
published until 1953 (de Wolf 1953). From the largest midden a sample of
about 225 sherds was taken, but only 31 were saved. As already pointed out,
five of these were fragments of griddles, so her definition of a hitherto unrecognized
“style” was based on a total of 26 pieces. She emphasized a number
of distinctive characteristics this pottery possessed. “The bodies of the vessels
rise fairly straight or turn inward slightly at the shoulder” (de Wolf 1953:
Figure 85a–j). One lug was described as being “lightly incised with three radiating
lines” and as having “flecks of red paint near the edge” (de Wolf 1953:
Figure 86j). “The other main form of decoration consists of paint and rubbing
applied to areas of the vessel surface.” Eight sherds were painted, seven
red and one yellow. “Rubbing gives the sherds a dull mat finish.” De Wolf also
referred to the existence of D- shaped and looped handles. The Little River ar-