c.

c. AD 400 – 1500 (Theory): Cranial evidence from pre-contact burials suggests that the Caribbean was the site of multiple, distinct population expansions rather than a single, linear migration. Research by A.H. Ross, using craniometric data, indicates that different groups entered the islands at different times, bringing unique biological markers and cultural practices with them. This “multiple-expansion” model aligns with the archaeological “kaleidoscope” view, suggesting that the “First Islanders” were a genetically and culturally diverse population. This biological diversity provided the foundation for the complex social and political configurations that Europeans encountered in 1492.