c. AD 400 – 1500 (Theory): Cranial evidence from pre-contact burials suggests that the Caribbean was the site of multiple, distinct population expansions. Research by A.H. Ross, using craniomet

c. AD 400 – 1500 (Theory): Cranial evidence from pre-contact burials suggests that the Caribbean was the site of multiple, distinct population expansions. 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.