2017 (Theory): Keegan and Hofman emphasize that the diverse forms of resource exploitation and habitation patterns observed in Cuba mirror similar practices …

2017 (Theory): Keegan and Hofman emphasize that the diverse forms of resource exploitation and habitation patterns observed in Cuba mirror similar practices in Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. They argue that the pre-Columbian Caribbean was characterized by frequent inter-island exchange and shared cultural trajectories, despite local variations in material style. The presence of large-scale earthworks and the intensification of agriculture across the Greater Antilles provide evidence for the emergence of complex, regional political systems. By examining the continuity and change in the archaeological record, the authors advocate for a “vibrant understanding” of the islands that avoids the rigid, simplistic categories of earlier scholarship. Their synthesis aims to restore the specific and multifaceted histories of the “First Islanders” to the broader narrative of human history.