2017 (Theory): Keegan and Hofman argue that the transition and settlement patterns in the Lesser Antilles during the Archaic Age were driven by a combination…

2017 (Theory): Keegan and Hofman argue that the transition and settlement patterns in the Lesser Antilles during the Archaic Age were driven by a combination of environmental constraints and resource availability. They point out that while some areas like northeast Antigua were ideal for lithic quarrying, they were uninviting for long-term habitation due to low rainfall and salt spray. Consequently, the first islanders developed a flexible settlement system that moved between specialized resource outposts and more favorable domestic sites. By mapping the movement of materials like Antiguan flint, archaeologists can reconstruct the “lifelines” that connected these early pioneers across the archipelago. This perspective emphasizes that the early Caribbean was a landscape of strategic movement and sophisticated environmental knowledge rather than accidental discovery.