c.

c. AD 600 – 1200: The practice of intentional cranial modification was a widespread method of identity formation and social signaling among various Caribbean groups. Research by A. van Duijvenbode indicates that these modifications were often performed during infancy to permanently mark an individual’s belonging to a specific lineage or social class. The variation in styles across different islands suggests that head-shaping was a localized tradition that nonetheless participated in a shared regional aesthetic. This physical marking of the body serves as a powerful indicator of how indigenous societies materialized concepts of beauty, status, and community.