Archaeologists learn more of SVG history

Archaeologists have found evidence of relations between the Amerindians who resided here and European colonizers.{{more}}

A team from the Archaeological Department of Leiden University in the Netherlands told reporters on Wednesday that their discovery is being seen as a “valuable contribution to archaeology, history and to the heritage of the Garifuna people.”

“It’s been a wildly successful pilot study,” Alistair Bright, PhD student and member of the team told SEARCHLIGHT, as the archaeologists wrapped up excavation work at the site of the international airport at Argyle.

The find includes broken pieces of pottery with etched in European beads, stone axes and other tools, and for the first time, the site has turned up what team members have identified as remnants of a Carib village.

Added to the typical pottery and other items that were discovered was that of ‘post holes’ which are highly suggestive that a structure of some sort was once evident.

According to Bright, the find is significant as it provides evidence of the relations between the Amerindians and European colonizers.

“There are perfect examples of where Amerindian heritage has come together with the Europeans. It also proves that the Indians were here right up until the 19th century,” Bright explained.

Dating of the artifacts is yet to be performed to determine accuracy in the dates. However, Bright estimated that the excavation unearthed items dating as far back as the 1400s to the 1700s.

The find is also significant in that of all the archaeological finds in the region, there are only about 18 that contain artefacts from a Cayoid settlement.

“And it is the first one that provides such detail,” Bright added.

Bright noted that the team hoped to return later in the year to completely excavate those areas that the team was not able to get to.

Kathy Martin of the St Vincent and the Grenadines National Trust said that she was hoping to facilitate the team to continue its work.

She added that the long term objective was to be able to commission a museum that would make the items available for public viewing.