5000 BCE Site in Trinidad
Mike R
5000 BCE Site in Trinidad
In 1994, 5000 BCE artifacts were found at the St. John's site in
Trinidad. The dating was not exact. Shells from the site were sent to
the US for testing and the date was confirmed. More field work has
been done in the last few weeks and new discoveries were made. The
site was occupied by the Ortoiroid people, who probably migrated from
South America, some from Guyana and some from Belize. A large stone
pestle was found used to pulverize seeds and roots and to pulverize
red ochre which was used as body paint. Crab, oysters, bird and mammal
bones have been found giving insight into the diet at 5000 BCE.
Scrapers were found to skin tree rats, red howler monkeys, pacas
(large rodent), agoutis, red brockets (deer) and collared peccaries
(pig-like animal).
The Trinidad Express has the story here;
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161548331