c.

c. AD 400 – 1000: The Sorcé/La Hueca site on Vieques is renowned for its highly specialized lapidary industry, producing intricate beads and amulets from exotic materials such as nephrite and jadeite. Researchers suggest these raw materials may have been sourced from as far away as Guatemala or the Dominican Republic, while serpentinite used at the site likely came from Puerto Rico. In the southern Lesser Antilles, the Pearls site on Grenada shows a similar specialization in the manufacture of amethyst beads. These prestige items played a critical role in the social and ritual life of the islands, serving as markers of status and identity. The widespread movement of these finished goods reflects a robust maritime prestige economy that linked the Greater and Lesser Antilles.