c.

c. AD 1000 – 1500 (Theory): The reconstruction of precolonial Caribbean life relies heavily on a combination of archaeological data and the selective use of indigenous terms extracted from early Spanish records. Scholars use these words to understand how “First Islanders” categorized their environment, from specific plants and animals to the names they gave the islands themselves. However, the limited number of preserved words prevents comprehensive linguistic studies like glottochronology, which would help track the timing of language divergence. Despite these limitations, the integration of linguistic fragments with material remains remains a primary method for interpreting the social and spiritual world of the Late Ceramic Age.