Pre-Colombian Jamaica: Caribbean Archeology and Ethnohistory

138 / Appendix A.
tats, as follows: terrestrial 29 (22 percent), freshwater 1 (1 percent), beaches 4
(3 percent), inshore estuarine 6 (5 percent), banks and reefs 82 (62 percent),
offshore pelagic 10 (8 percent). The terrestrial remains consist exclusively of
hutía. The single freshwater specimen represented is a turtle, Chrysemys cf. terrapen,
one piece of shell of which was found. Sea turtles (Cheloniidae) were evidently
located on the beaches. Inshore fish are not common and are dominated
by jack (Caranx). Offshore pelagic species are likewise not numerous, but their
presence is very significant. The majority consist of tuna (Thunnus) but there is
also one dolphin (Coryphaena sp.). If the species represented is Coryphaena hippurus,
this would indicate daytime fishing. By far the majority of the fish represented
are bank and reef species. They are dominated by grouper (Serranidae).
Other frequent species include snapper (Lutjanus), grunt (Haemulon), parrot
fish (Scaridae), and triggerfish (Balistidae). One reef dwelling genus represented
at Bengal, but not at the other sites considered by Wing, is the angelfish (Pomacanthus
sp.). The sample from Bengal did not include any crabs. In general, the
division of species by habitat is very similar to that at Rio Nuevo (Y4).
References: AJ 1965, 2:1–2; 1965, 5:2; 1966, 8:1; 1973, 3:1; 1977, 1:2, 7;
1978, 1:2; 1978, 4:2; Lee 1992; Silverberg et al. 1972; Vanderwal 1968a:59–
62, 123, 127 (Figure 7), 136.
Retreat (A13)
One of the first open- air sites in Jamaica to be excavated and described in some
detail. According to Duerden (1897), investigations were first conducted by
Miss Moulton Barrett, who found some pottery and other remains “on a ridge
of land connecting two hills.” The ridge was “covered with small mounds,” all
of which produced material. Duerden commented that the “hill or ridge” was
at an elevation of about 1,200 ft above sea level, one of a series of weathered
white limestone “rounded elevations.” According to Duerden, it was known as
“Cacique’s Ridge” or “Little Nigger- ground Hill,” the latter a reference to the
fact that it had been used as a provision ground. Duerden himself conducted
excavations at “numerous spots” in the locality. The next excavations were carried
out by T. de Booy in 1913, and he suggested that the middens on the
“original summit” of the hill, which by then was “practically level,” had probably
been removed by the first two investigations (de Booy 1913:Figure 111).
His own excavations were concentrated on the northern, eastern, and southern
slopes. Another of the hitherto untouched middens was excavated by M. de
Wolf in 1933 (de Wolf 1953). Lee relocated the site, and he refers to excavations
by Father Osborne, but no written record of these is available.