Pre-Colombian Jamaica: Caribbean Archeology and Ethnohistory

Aboriginal Indian Remains in Jamaica by J. E. Duerden / 205
The discoveries made, mostly since the issue of the circular, and which have
been investigated and are now reported upon, may be classified as follows:
Kitchen- Middens, Refuse- Heaps, or Shell- Mounds
Accumulations of the above character, occurring at Norbrook, were described
a few years ago, but no further advance in the subject had been made before
the present enquiries. These have now demonstrated that similar remains, consisting
of deposits of shells, pottery, fish and Indian coney bones, implements,
ashes, etc., occur in numerous localities near the sea border, and extend over
considerable areas on both the north and south sides of the island. They have
been investigated at the following places: Stewart Castle, Wales, Retreat, Cranbrook,
Tryall, California, the Long Mountain, Botany Bay, Hope, and Caymanas;
while information of others has been received from Vere in Clarendon,
Hanover, Williamsfield, and Belle Vue and Friendship in St. Ann.
Caves Containing Aboriginal Remains
Jamaica has long been known to contain, in the numerous limestone caves
throughout the island, many skulls, bones, and other relics of its Indian inhabitants;
but these have never been systematically examined, nor the objects
described.
In addition to the Halberstadt cave, notes upon which have already appeared
in the Journal of the Institute and in Nature, caves at the following places have
been investigated: Botany Bay, Cambridge Hill, and California; while details
have been collected of others occurring at Bloxburgh, Dallas Castle, Goat Island,
District of Vere, Pedro, Hounslow, the Red Hills, and in the parishes of
Westmoreland and Hanover.
Rock- Carvings and Rock- Pictures
In the parish of St. Catherine has been discovered a series of aboriginal Rockcarvings,
mostly deep incisions representing human figures and heads; also, in
connection with them, a number of rude pictorial representations of various
animals, such as lizards, turtles, and birds. A rude incised representation of the
human face and figure has been met with in a recess in the limestone rocks of
St. Mary, and a similar figure at Pantrepant, Trelawny.
There is little doubt as to the aboriginal character of all these, they having
features in common, and also relationships with other figures described from
various West Indian Islands.