c.

c. AD 1200 – 1500: The Boca Chica pottery style is characterized by thick, sturdy vessels with fine, polished surfaces and complex shapes such as boat-shaped bowls and spherical bottles. In the Dominican Republic, these specialized bottles, known as potizas, were used for water collection or the consumption of manioc beer. Decorative elements include elaborate incised bands and modeled anthropomorphic “bat-face” lugs that rise above the rim. Although named after a site in the Dominican Republic, the style is found across Puerto Rico and represents a major component of Late Ceramic Age material culture. This intrusive style has become emblematic of the “Taíno” identity and reflects a shared set of icons across the northern Caribbean.