c.

c. AD 600 – 900: The Anse à la Gourde site on Guadeloupe provides detailed evidence of complex mortuary practices during the Saladoid period. Grave inventories included whole Lobatus gigas shells, pottery vessels, quartz and diorite beads, perforated shark teeth, and stone axes. In some instances, pottery vessels were specifically used to cover the grave pit or were placed directly in front of the deceased’s face. One notable burial featured a female interred with over 1,100 shell beads on her pelvis, likely the remains of a decorative garment. These elaborate burials suggest that status and identity were clearly marked in death, reflecting a structured social hierarchy.