c.

c. AD 1200 – 1500: The Late Ceramic Age in Puerto Rico is defined by the emergence of the Boca Chica, Capá, and Esperanza pottery styles, which represent an elaboration of earlier design modes. These ceramics feature complex modeling, incision, and punctation that archaeologists associate with a burgeoning “Taíno” cultural identity. Notably, these new styles did not immediately replace older ones but often existed alongside them in mixed assemblages. This stylistic profusion suggests that Puerto Rico was home to a variety of overlapping social identities rather than a single uniform group. The development of these distinct ceramic traditions reflects the increasing regional complexity and local autonomy of island chiefdoms.