c.

c. AD 400 – 1000: In Trinidad and Tobago, the Early Ceramic Age is characterized by the transition from the Cedros complex to the Palo Seco complex. While Cedros pottery is rare, found at only two sites, Palo Seco pottery is much more common and reflects significant Barrancoid influences from the lower Orinoco. This influence is visible in thick-walled vessels decorated with red or black designs and elaborate modeled-incised adornos. These stylistic shifts document the ongoing social and cultural connections between the islands and the South American mainland. The proliferation of single-component sites during this period indicates a stable and expanding population in the southern Caribbean.