Between the Mainland and the Islands: The Amerindian Cultural Geography of Trinidad

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper discusses the physiographical characteristics, prehistoric cultural development and ethnohistory of Trinidad. It concludes that both the island's cultural sequence and its Contact Period sociography closely resemble those of the lower Orinoco valley and delta, showing that Trinidad can be seen both as a physical and cultural continuation of the South American continent. The pivotal role Trinidad played in the patterns of interaction, exchange and transmittance of culture from the mainland to the West Indies and vice versa is also analyzed. Finally, the fragmented nature of Trinidad's Contact Period Amerindian population, seen in its ethnicity, linguistic affiliation and sociopolitical organization, is contrasted with the uniformity shown by the archaeologically reconstructable tradition of indigenous pottery manufacture characterizing the island until as late as the middle 18th century.