c.

c. AD 1200 – 1500 (Theory): The traditional reliance on Spanish documents created a skewed understanding of indigenous society that favored colonial perspectives over archaeological reality. Early chroniclers often generalized specific local practices into a “generic Taíno” stereotype, masking the vast cultural and social diversity that existed across the islands. Keegan and Hofman argue that archaeology must serve as a corrective to these narratives, revealing the internal social reconfigurations and regional variations that the Spanish failed to record. By integrating material evidence with a critical reading of colonial texts, researchers can reconstruct a more accurate and “vibrant” history of the Caribbean’s diverse polities.