c.
c. AD 1400 – 1600: The MC-6 site on Middle Caicos is identified as a unique, locally controlled entrepôt strategically located at the edge of a seasonally flooded salina. While 90% of the pottery found is local Palmetto Ware, the remaining 10% consists of high-status Chicoid vessels and specialized manioc beer bottles imported directly from Hispaniola. The site’s location likely allowed canoes to be paddled directly to the village center during periods of high water, facilitating the movement of goods. Contrary to earlier theories, researchers now believe MC-6 was an indigenous Lucayan hub rather than a foreign “Taíno” colonial outpost. This site highlights the autonomy and central role of the Lucayans in managing maritime trade between the Greater Antilles and the Bahamas.