Pre-Colombian Jamaica: Caribbean Archeology and Ethnohistory

Principal Excavated Sites in Jamaica / 173
other human bones. Eleven of these individuals were adult males, but the 12th
skull belonged to an infant about 2 years old. Unlike the other skulls, it had
no signs of cranial deformation. It was placed in a different location, by itself,
with three small broken potsherds. There were five complete pots in the cave,
four associated with one individual skeleton each, and one apparently “shared”
by the remaining seven individuals. According to St. Clair, this showed that a
“ranking” system was in operation. After the excavations, the burial goods and
skeletal remains were displayed at the White Marl Museum, but their present
whereabouts is unknown.
References: AJ 1967, 12:1; 1981, 2:1, 3; St. Clair 1970:7–10.
Trelawny
Stewart Castle (T4)
First described by Duerden (1897), who noted that six distinct mounds were
situated on a slight rise at this place, one of the mounds being larger than the
rest. Excavations were carried out (presumably by Duerden rather than the
landowner Dr. Dewar), hence Howard’s statement (1950), that this was one
of “the very few aboriginal sites in Jamaica at which any definite indications
of stratigraphy have been reported.” The mounds, according to Duerden, covered
an area of about 7 acres, but in the depressions between them only stray
shells were encountered. “The extent of the area covered, and the thickness
and quantity of the various deposits prove that the locality must have been frequented
for long and various periods by numbers of the aboriginal Indians.”
C. A. Matley again excavated the central mound in 1922 (Sherlock 1939).
Mapped by Lee before 1968, reported to be undisturbed in 1973.
Duerden carried out some excavations at all the mounds, but his description
mainly relates to the central one. “In the principal mound digging was
continued to a depth of 6 feet; remains being met with for 5 feet.” In the other
mounds the depth of deposit varied between 4 and 2 ft. The upper soil was
dark, with light- colored marly material beneath. Bedrock was not reached in
any case. Distinct layering was visible in the central mound, “fine greyish- blue
ashes” alternating with “burnt earth and soil,” few shells being found in the latter.
Matley confirmed the existence of at least two layers of ash in this mound.
He also reported two layers of flattish stones, which he took to be constructional
material.
Duerden mentioned the presence of numerous fish bones, as well as a few of
hutía. The terrestrial snail Helix acuta was most common, followed by the ma-