c.

c. AD 1100 – 1300: Zooarchaeological analysis of the Governors Beach site on Grand Turk revealed a highly specialized diet almost exclusively focused on the heads of grunts (Haemulon sp.). This find is significant because it suggests that the bodies of the fish were likely processed—potentially smoked or salted—and transported back to larger settlements in Hispaniola, leaving only the heads as local refuse. This level of specialized resource processing, coupled with seasonal occupation, characterizes the Turks and Caicos as a dedicated “resource procurement” zone rather than a site for long-term domestic habitation. The site highlights the logistical capabilities of Greater Antillean groups in managing distant maritime territories.