c.

c. 3000 BC – 2000 BC: Early Archaic Age sites on Antigua, such as those found along the northeast shore and at Flinty Bay, were strategically located to provide easy access to high-quality flint quarries. This flint was of such importance that it has been identified in all other early Archaic Age sites discovered throughout the northern Lesser Antilles. The lithic technology at these locations is described as “expedient,” characterized primarily by flake production rather than more complex blade production. Because the northeast coast is subject to persistent trade winds and airborne salts that hamper plant cultivation, these sites were likely chosen for their mineral resources rather than agricultural potential. The widespread distribution of Antiguan flint serves as a key indicator of the extensive maritime mobility and exchange networks of the Caribbean’s first islanders.