c.

c. AD 1200 – 1500 (Ceremonial Objects): The duho (ceremonial wooden stool) served as a critical symbol of political and spiritual authority for Antillean caciques. These stools, often carved from dense tropical hardwoods like guaiacum, were used by chiefs during communal councils and rituals to elevate their physical and social position. Many duhos were elaborately decorated with gold leaf and intricate carvings of ancestral spirits (cemís), materializing the chief’s role as a mediator between the human and supernatural worlds. Keegan and Hofman note that these objects are among the most iconic examples of pre-Columbian Caribbean craftsmanship and were frequently presented as high-status gifts to establish alliances between polities.