A MOU IS SIGNED WITH THE ARCHAEOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF Print E-mail

In late January of this year, the St. Christopher National Trust and the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Dutch University of Lieden establishing a relationship between St. Kitts and Nevis and that institution’s Department of Archaeology. A proposal has been made for the University to undertake a project entitled “The Phantastic Insular World: Transformations of Amerindian culture and society in the late pre-colonial world and early colonial Lesser Antilles”.

 


The main aim of this project is to arrive at a better understanding of Island Carib culture and society during the transition from the late pre-Colonial to the early Colonial period through the combined approach of archaeology, archaeometry and ethnohistory. The study of the social landscape will comprise surveys and test excavations on three of the main Island Carib strongholds in the Antilles at the time of European colonization; St. Vincent, St. Lucia and St. Kitts. The project is expected to run from 2011 to 2016.


The Director of Maritime Affairs of St. Kitts and Nevis Mc Clean Hobson and Coordinator of the Regional Heritage Association, Eric Branford, were instrumental in encouraging the relationship in an effort to advance terrestrial and maritime archaeological studies for the sub region. Dr. M.L.P. Hoogland and Prof. C.L. Hofman from Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University will lead the project. The SCNT looks forward to working with Leiden University and expects that local students will be involved in the various excavations.
Last Updated on Monday, 19 July 2010 15:50