c.

c. AD 1200 – 1500: Late Ceramic Age sites in the interior of Hispaniola show a distinct shift in faunal remains, with a higher frequency of terrestrial animals and riverine or lacustrine fish compared to coastal sites. Despite this shift in location, there is no evidence of a fundamental change in subsistence practices; rather, the reorganization and intensification of agriculture point to significant population growth. These changes are consistent with the emergence of hereditary chiefs who exerted control over resource management and communal labor. The resulting settlement patterns resemble “Galactic Polities,” characterized by large sites, mounds, and organized ritualized landscapes.