c. AD 1200 – 1500 (Trade and Interaction): The “Caicos conch trade” represents a highly specialized maritime industry where the Lucayan populations of the Turks and Caicos harvested and processed vast quantities…

c. AD 1200 – 1500 (Trade and Interaction): The “Caicos conch trade” represents a highly specialized maritime industry where the Lucayan populations of the Turks and Caicos harvested and processed vast quantities of Queen conch (Lobatus gigas) for export. Research by E. Doran Jr. indicates that dried conch meat served as a durable, tradable protein source, while the shells provided raw material for tools in the Greater Antilles. This specialized economic activity linked small, resource-limited islands into the larger Caribbean social and economic sphere, supporting the growth of unique trading outposts like the MC-6 site.