c.

c. AD 840 – 1300: In the eastern Dominican Republic, the “Atajadizo phase” represents a significant transitional period marked by the initial appearance of Chicoid pottery alongside older Ostionoid traditions. This era saw an increased emphasis on farming as indigenous populations expanded along rivers into the island’s interior to cultivate river terraces. Evidence of maize cultivation appears as early as AD 1060 in the interior, supplementing traditional staples like manioc. Settlements from this phase often featured large communal houses capable of holding thirty to forty individuals from extended families. These developments highlight the growing social and economic complexity of societies in Hispaniola during the mid-to-late Ceramic Age.