Pre-Colombian Jamaica: Caribbean Archeology and Ethnohistory

232 / Appendix D.
pottery was found on a ridge of land connecting two hills; the higher of the
two commanding a very extensive view of a part of St. Ann, a great part of Trelawny,
and a long stretch of coast. The ridge in question is covered with small
mounds, all of which contain fragments of pottery, broken shells, and bones of
the Indian coney, and I found there too a solitary piece of sea coral. The pottery
was quite on the surface of the ground, and there was none below two or
three feet.” The pieces of pottery, which were the only objects from the spot
sent to the Museum, are all of the same type as the examples now obtained in
such abundance elsewhere.
The hill or ridge upon which the kitchen- middens are found is about 1,200
feet high and six miles from the sea. It forms one of a series very abundant in
this part of St. Ann and Trelawny. The White Limestone weathers into rounded
elevations, the material of the intervening valleys being removed mainly in solution.
The view from them is one of remarkable beauty, embracing richly
wooded and cultivated hills and vales on each side, higher hills behind, and a
long stretch of coast and sea to the north, with Cuba in the distance, to be seen
under favourable conditions. The elevation in question was very significantly
known by the former owners as “Cacique’s Ridge,” and is also known as Little
Nigger- ground Hill, while a higher one near has the title of Big Nigger- ground
Hill. These latter names recall the fact that in slavery days the particular spots
were used by the Negroes as provision grounds; they being allowed to cultivate
them for their own benefit on Sundays and holidays. The mounds are now
rather irregular in shape, probably owing to the hill being formerly cultivated,
and scattered remains are found to extend over an acre or more. Excavations
were made at numerous spots, and, in all, scattered amongst the upper dark
loose earth and fragments of limestone, were broken pieces of pottery, quantities
of land shells, a few specimens of marine shells, and bones of the Indian
coney and of various fish. This foreign material extended in several places to
a [20] depth of two feet. In one a deposit of partially indurated bluish- grey
ash and charcoal gave evidence of the use of fire by the builders of the refuseheaps.
The land shells obtained were principally Helix acuta and H. jamaicensis;
the marine shells Turbo pica, Strombus gigas, and one or two examples of the
bivalves, Codakia (Lucina) tigerina and Tellina fausta. In regard to the general
facies of the accumulations, the present mounds do not differ from the neighbouring
ones at Stewart Castle and Wales. The marine shells are proportionately
much less in number, a fact which may perhaps be accounted for by the
greater distance of the locality from the sea; again, none of the land shells collected
has the artificial perforation behind the mouth, such as was found in
those from Stewart Castle and from Wales.
Mr. Roper gave permission and assistance for carrying out the excavations.