ORCID

0009-0008-8928-8472

Keywords

Jamaica, Paleoethnobotany, Starch Grains, Caribbean Archaeology, Ceramic Residue

Abstract

The White Marl site represents the largest known Taíno settlement and archaeological site in Jamaica. Road construction in the eighteenth century first disturbed the site, followed by further damage during Mandela Highway construction in the 1940s. The site now faces renewed threats from a proposed highway expansion that has divided it into two zones. In response, the Jamaica National Heritage Trust began archaeological investigations in 2016 to assess and document the land before development and preserve any recoverable material remains and cultural heritage. Field seasons from 2016 to 2019 recovered of several ceramic burial vessels from inhumation contexts, providing valuable insights into Taíno mortuary practices. The diverse artifact assemblage also included zemís, shell and faunal remains, griddle sherds, and post-European contact items like a Spanish real. Previous paleoethnobotanical work at White Marl analyzed human dental and identified starch grains from maize (Zea mays), wild bean (Fabaceae), and a tentative cocoa grain (cf. Theobroma cacao) (Mickleburgh et al. 2018). This thesis expands Jamaica’s archaeobotanical literature by analyzing residues from three complete burial vessels, three burial vessel sherds, and thirteen griddle sherds for starch grain content. The analysis recovered 442 starch grains, including maize (Zea mays), llerén (Calathea sp.), yam (Dioscorea sp.), yautía/malanga/cocoyam (Xanthosoma sp.), and ginger (Zingiberaceae).

Completion Date

2025

Semester

Summer

Committee Chair

Duncan, Neil

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Department of Anthropology

Format

PDF

Identifier

DP0029568

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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