Newswise — When Christopher Columbus arrived in the present-day US Virgin Islands during his second voyage across the Atlantic in 1493, he encountered inhabited islands. However, the exact details regarding the original population and the timing of their settlement on St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas remain uncertain. Historical records and archaeological evidence are still being studied to shed light on the earliest human presence in these islands.

In an effort to solve the puzzle of the islands' original population, an international research team comprised of scientists from the United States, Argentina, the United Kingdom, and Denmark conducted a groundbreaking study. The team obtained permission to conduct thermoluminescence dating on pottery shards that were excavated from archaeological sites on the islands. This chemically-based approach aims to determine the age of the pottery and provide valuable insights into the timeline of human occupation in the US Virgin Islands.

These results can now be compared with archaeologists’ previous datings, which were based on stylistic analysis, site location, and radiocarbon dating. The results have been published in the journal Heritage Science.

 The research team is:

  • Kaare Lund Rasmussen, Cultural Heritage and Archaeometric Research Team (CHART), Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark.
  • Joshua Torres, US National Park Service.
  •  Casper Jacobsen Toftgaard, National Museum of Denmark and SAXO Institute, University of Copenhagen.
  • Thomas Delbey, Cranfield Forensic Institute, Cranfield University, Defence Academy of the UK.
  • David Brewer, Department of Planning and Natural Resources, Virgin Island State Historic Preservation Office.
  • John Farchette III, Department of Planning and Natural Resources, Coastal Zone Management, USVI.
  • Guillermo de La Fuente, Laboratorio de Petrología y Conservación Cerámica, Escuela de Arqueología, Universidad Nacional de Catamarca-CONICET, Argentina.

Professor Kaare Lund Rasmussen, who led the chemical analyses, explains the significance of their research, stating that they have successfully conducted thermoluminescence dating on pottery shards left by the islands' ancient inhabitants. This method allows for a more precise dating of the cultural artifacts found on the islands. Given the warm tropical climate, pottery shards are particularly important as archaeological evidence. This study marks the first time such dating has been performed on the islands, providing valuable insights into the timeline and culture of the early inhabitants.

Professor Kaare Lund Rasmussen is an expert in the field of archaeometry, which focuses on using chemical analyses to study archaeological and historical objects. His expertise lies in conducting scientific examinations on various artifacts. He has worked on analyzing significant items such as the tomb of Tycho Brahe, a prominent Renaissance astronomer, the renowned Dead Sea Scrolls, the coffin of King Canute the Holy, and even the skeletons associated with Jesus' apostles. His work involves applying scientific methods to gain valuable insights into the composition, age, and other aspects of these remarkable historical objects.

The National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen played a crucial role in this research by providing access to pottery shards. These ceramic fragments were originally brought to the museum in 1924 from the former Danish colonies in the West Indies. The researchers were granted permission to take samples from these pottery shards for their study. In total, they examined 128 pottery shards collected from seven different locations across St. John, St. Thomas, and St. Croix. This extensive collection of samples allows for a comprehensive analysis and understanding of the pottery and its role in uncovering the islands' history.

"These new datings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of when the islands were inhabited and, most importantly, how many different ethnic groups lived on the islands or engaged in trade with each other at the same time," says Kaare Lund Rasmussen.

Researchers currently have limited knowledge about the identity of the early residents who inhabited and settled on the islands. Despite numerous archaeological investigations conducted on the islands, the discovery of artifacts beyond pottery shards has been relatively scarce. As a result, there is a lack of substantial evidence that can provide a comprehensive understanding of the people who lived on the islands during that period.

The newly obtained datings present a challenge to the prevailing theory regarding the early inhabitants of the islands. The widely accepted theory, proposed by Professor Irwin Rouse from Yale University in 1960, suggests that immigrants arrived in three successive waves from the south, originating from the mouth of the Orinoco River in Venezuela. This theory is plausible and intuitively understandable for several reasons. Firstly, the geographical proximity of the islands allows for visibility from one island to the next, especially in good weather conditions. Additionally, the consistent southeasterly wind prevailing in the region makes the northwest journey relatively straightforward. However, the recent datings may prompt a reevaluation of this theory and open up new possibilities for understanding the origins and settlement patterns of the early inhabitants of the islands.

However, Lund Rasmussen's and co-workers thermoluminescence datings have revealed that several different styles coexisted on the islands at the same time.

According to Professor Lund Rasmussen, the data obtained from their research indicates the presence of multiple cultures coexisting in the same area or in close proximity, which facilitated trade among them. This finding challenges the prevailing theory of three distinct waves of immigration from south to north. Instead, the evidence suggests a more complex scenario with various styles and cultural influences coexisting simultaneously across different locations. This implies a more diverse and interconnected cultural landscape, challenging the previous notion of a linear migration pattern.

Professor Lund Rasmussen highlights specific pottery styles, such as Ostiones, Monserrate, Santa Elena, La Hueca, and Cuevas, each characterized by its unique decorative features. These pottery styles have been discovered at different locations across the three islands (St. John, St. Thomas, and St. Croix) within a timeframe that researchers estimate to be between 600 and 1200 AD. This evidence suggests that these distinct pottery styles were present simultaneously, further supporting the notion of multiple cultures coexisting and interacting within the region during that period.

Professor Lund Rasmussen explains that the presence of the five distinct pottery styles—Ostiones, Monserrate, Santa Elena, La Hueca, and Cuevas—suggests the possibility of five different ethnic groups inhabiting the islands during the mentioned timeframe. While the presence of these groups may not have been continuous, they may have come and gone over time, potentially returning periodically. However, what is clear is that they were within trading distance of each other, indicating interactions and exchanges between these cultures. The evidence suggests that travel and trade occurred in multiple directions, both north and south, highlighting the complexity of cultural dynamics and connections in the region during that period.

Prior to this research, dating of archaeological findings on the U.S. Virgin Islands relied on methods such as radiocarbon dating of materials found in association with pottery shards. For instance, seashells found alongside the pottery shards have been subjected to radiocarbon dating. Additionally, the ages of the pottery shards were estimated based on their decoration and production techniques, aligning them with Professor Rouse's theory of immigration waves. These previous dating methods provided valuable insights but were limited in their precision. The current research utilizing thermoluminescence dating provides a more direct and accurate means of determining the age of the pottery shards, offering a fresh perspective on the settlement patterns and cultural dynamics of the islands.

Professor Lund Rasmussen points out a challenge specific to radiocarbon dating in the Virgin Islands. While radiocarbon dating of remains found near pottery shards can be useful for archaeologists in general, the Virgin Islands pose a unique difficulty. In the region, there is a scarcity of well-defined layers where the upper layer is clearly and distinctly younger than the lower layer. In fact, only one site on the islands, Cinnamon Bay on St. John, exhibits a well-developed stratigraphy that allows for reliable dating. In most other locations, the archaeological context more closely resembles kitchen middens, which are accumulations of domestic waste. This complicates the dating process and highlights the need for alternative dating methods, such as thermoluminescence, to provide more accurate and reliable age estimates for the pottery shards and their associated cultural remains.

Currently, the research team is investigating whether the chemical composition of the clay can provide information about where the different pottery vessels were made, potentially determining whether a pottery vessel was locally produced or brought by canoe from another island.

Journal Link: Heritage Science