c. AD 1200 – 1500 (Theory): The concept of “Dual Organization” is explored as a potential model for the social structure of large Caribbean chiefdoms, where society may have been divided into…

c. AD 1200 – 1500 (Theory): The concept of “Dual Organization” is explored as a potential model for the social structure of large Caribbean chiefdoms, where society may have been divided into two complementary groups or moieties. This theory, supported by scholars like Abraham Rosman and Paula Rubel, suggests that such a structure helped manage internal competition and facilitated the balanced exchange of marriage partners and ritual responsibilities. In the archaeological record, this may be reflected in the paired plaza complexes or symmetrical village layouts found at several major sites in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. This model provides a sophisticated alternative to the simplified “tribal” hierarchies often described in early colonial texts.