Pre-Colombian Jamaica: Caribbean Archeology and Ethnohistory

Aboriginal Indian Remains in Jamaica by J. E. Duerden / 231
Fig. VI. Sketch plan of the mounds at Stewart
Castle. Area: 7 acres, 3 roods.
cial bones occur. A few long bones
and jaw bones of the Indian coney
were found.
Shells. The shells form, by far, the
principal objects met with. The common
land snail, Helix acuta, var. patina,
is the most numerous, and, along
with the bivalve, Lucina tigerina, and
less so the small mussel, Mytilus exustus,
determines the characteristics
of these accumulations. The Helix is
found of all sizes, the majority having
the irregular perforation on the
upper side of the last whorl, about
half an inch from the shell mouth.
Pyrula melongena, Strombus gigas,
Turbo pica, and Helix jamaicensis are
occasionally present, and still more rarely species of Purpura, Fissurella, Chiton,
and Neritina.
Several claws of crabs, mostly those of the land soldier- crab, Coenobita diogenes,
were collected also two pieces of Madrepore coral.
Pottery. Numerous broken fragments of coarse earthenware were distributed
throughout, with characters differing in no respect from the undoubted aboriginal
pottery obtained from the various caves, and now known from numerous
other parts of the island. The pieces are of various thicknesses, and include a
few of the simple types of handles.
Implements. Irregular, flaked flints occur mixed with the loose earth and the
small boulders of limestone; none, however, showed further traces of workmanship.
Two shell implements, one rather gouge- like and the other resembling in
shape a curved knife blade, are of special importance, as being, at the time, apparently
the first aboriginal implements of shell described from Jamaica. They
are made from the shell of the great conch, Strombus gigas.
Retreat.
These deposits are on the property Retreat, situated between Brown’s Town
and Stewart Town, in St. Ann, about four miles from the former. The land is
now owned by Mr. Roper, but was formerly in the possession of Mr. Moulton
Barrett. Miss Moulton Barrett made a number of investigations at the place,
and lent to the Anthropological Exhibition a collection of fragments of pottery
obtained.
With regard to the occurrence of these Miss Barrett writes as follows: “The