c.

c. AD 1200 – 1500 (Agricultural Resilience): In the semi-arid environments of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos, Lucayan populations relied on a mix of drought-resistant crops and maritime resources. While they cultivated staples like manioc and maize, the exploitation of wild or semi-domesticated plants like guáyiga (Zamia sp.) was essential for survival during periods of environmental stress. Keegan and Hofman argue that this flexible subsistence strategy, which integrated gardening with intensive fishing and mollusk gathering, allowed the Lucayans to maintain permanent settlements in an archipelago that lacks the permanent freshwater sources found on the larger islands.