Island networks of trade, ritual, and seafaring—Taíno and Carib worlds at the meeting of seas.
Mesoamerica
Includes the Olmec, Maya, Zapotec, Mixtec, and Mexica/Aztec.
The Andes
Includes the Chavín, Moche, Nazca, Wari, Tiwanaku, and Inca.
South America
Includes the Chimor, Mochehe and Inca civilization in the Andes.
The Caribbean
Includes the Taíno, Carib, and the Arawak from the Eastern and Western Caribbean Islands
Northern North America
Indigenous tribes in regions north of the Rio Grande include: the Coahuiltecan, the Lipan Apache and Comanche, the Hopewell Culture and Mississippi Culture, and the Iroquois Confederacy: Comprising the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and later the Tuscarora nations.
Amazonia
Includes the Yanomamo, Kayapo, Marajoara, and the Tapajó.
Southern North America
Indigenous tribes in regions south of the Rio Grande include: The Coahuiltecan, Lipan Apache, Tonkawa, Karankawa, and the Jumano.
Quick Facts
- Major cultures: Taíno, Kalinago (Carib), Lucayan; Archaic Age peoples
- Timeframes: c. 4000 BCE – 1500s CE
- Notable customs & beverages: zemí (ancestral) worship, ballgame variants; cassava-based drinks, fruit ferments
- Languages/scripts: Arawakan languages (incl. Taíno); no local script tradition recorded
Timeline of the Ancestors
- 4000–1000 BCE — Archaic Age — Early island settlement and exchange.
- 500 BCE–800 CE — Ceramic horizons — Expansion of farming villages; decorated pottery.
- 800–1500 CE — Taíno chiefdoms — Plaza centers, zemí iconography, regional trade.
- Late 1400s — Kalinago seafaring — Raiding and exchange networks.
Peoples & Cultures
- Taíno — Plaza-focused villages, zemí shrines, cotton weaving.
- Kalinago (Carib) — Strong canoe traditions; island-to-island mobility.
Sites & Landscapes
- Hispaniola/Puerto Rico — Taíno ceremonial plazas (batey).
- Bahamas — Lucayan sites and caves.
- Lesser Antilles — Kalinago settlements.
Customs & Beverages
- Rituals: zemí offerings, ballgame ceremonies.
- Daily life: cassava horticulture, cotton textiles, fishing.
- Beverages: cassava and fruit ferments.
Artifacts & Iconography
- Zemí figures, duhos (wooden seats), decorated ceramics and shell.
Language & Scripts
- Languages: Arawakan family; contact with Cariban languages.
- Writing: none attested.
Further Reading & Sources
- Add 3–6 reputable sources or museum pages here.
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