c.

c. AD 1000 – 1500: The use of phosphorus analysis at Lucayan settlement sites on Middle Caicos has allowed researchers to determine the precise “use areas” and intensity of human occupation within indigenous villages. L.T.R. Roth’s research used soil chemistry to map out activity zones, such as cooking areas, refuse heaps (middens), and residential floors, which are otherwise difficult to distinguish in the sandy soils of the Bahamas. This methodology reveals that Lucayan villages were highly organized, with specific spatial rules governing daily life and waste management. Such high-resolution spatial data provides a clearer picture of how “First Islander” communities functioned as cohesive social units.