Pre-Colombian Jamaica: Caribbean Archeology and Ethnohistory

Principal Excavated Sites in Jamaica / 139
Duerden excavated in the “upper dark loose earth” to a depth of up to 2 ft.
At one point “a deposit of partially indurated bluish- grey ash and charcoal
gave evidence of the use of fire by the builders of the refuse- heaps.” There were
many land snails (Helix acuta and Helix jamaicensis) and a few marine shells
(Turbo pica, Strombus gigas, Codakia tigerina, Tellina fausta). He thought that
the material from the site in general was similar to that from Stewart Castle
(T4) and Wales (T6).
De Booy reported and roughly mapped 16 middens, four of which he excavated.
His most extensive excavations were in midden 4. He dug three trenches
here, A (14 x 10 ft), B (38 x 10 ft), and C (10 x 10 ft). The principal trench B
reached a maximum depth of 4 ft. An “ash deposit” 8 to 12 inches thick was
found on the southern but not on the northern slope of the mound. Interestingly
enough, de Booy stated that in excavating midden 4 his aim was not to
obtain more archaeological material, but to procure “as accurate information
as possible regarding the location of the huts and the exact limits of the shell
and ash deposits” (de Booy 1913:429). By putting down test pits he ascertained
that the ash deposit “extended round the southern slope, covering in all
about half the circumference of the midden,” whereas deposits of shells covered
“about 270 degrees of the circumference.” From the “direction of the shell
and ash deposits” he concluded that the “aboriginal abode” (i.e., the “probable
location of huts”) was on the top of the hummock and that “the inhabitants
threw the refuse and discarded artifacts in three quadrants of the circle: in other
words, in all directions save one, which afforded them at least one clean, clear
space” in front of the dwellings.
De Booy concluded that in all the middens at this locality at least 98 percent
of the shells found were those of land snails, the remainder being seashells.
He identified three species of Pleurodont, Sagda alligans, two species of
Arca, Livona pica, Fasciolaria distans, Avicula, and Strombus gigas. He also found
bones of hutía and fish, which were not more closely identified. He drew particular
attention to the presence of the remains of boat- shaped type pots with
“banded edges,” “decorated handles,” and elaborate “incised decorations,” as
well as griddles with a diameter of about 14 in. There were also petaloid celts,
hammer and other stones, and a single conch shell celt. Although differing in
detail, Vanderwal agreed with de Booy that “the Retreat site, in common with
many others on the north coast, does have pottery decoration unique to Jamaica.”
In 1933 M. de Wolf excavated another of the mounds that had not been investigated
by de Booy (de Wolf 1953). “On the eastern brow of the hill, it lies