c.

c. AD 1200 – 1550: During the Late Ceramic Age, the site of El Chorro de Maíta in Cuba emerged as a center of significant regional integration. This era is defined by the peak of indigenous social complexity and the development of large-scale chiefdoms, or cacicazgos. Material culture from this period often shows “Chicoid” influences, reflecting a broad sharing of ideas and prestige goods across the Greater Antilles. The site remained active even into the early post-contact period, showing the resilience of indigenous systems during the initial Spanish arrival. These findings illustrate the dynamic nature of Caribbean societies just before they were transformed by European colonization.