c.

c. AD 400 – 1000 (Theory): The “La Hueca problem” continues to be a central debate in Caribbean archaeology, centered on whether the Huecoid and Saladoid styles represent two distinct migrant groups or different functional assemblages within the same culture. Keegan and Hofman point to research on Guadeloupe and St. Martin suggesting that while the two traditions shared certain technological traits, they maintained distinct social identities through their unique lapidary and ceramic styles. This cohabitation implies a “poly-ethnic” social landscape where different groups interacted and exchanged materials while preserving their own cultural heritage. This model challenges earlier theories of simple, linear cultural succession.