THE EARLIEST INHABITANTS- THE AMERINDIANS

It is generally accepted that the earliest inhabitants of St.Lucia of whom traces have been found were a race of people whom we classify generally as Amerindians. They lived in south America and made their way Northward, at some very early date, up the islands, from Venezuela. Apart from a few petroglyphs and rock basins no signs of their long occupation are to be seen above ground but numerous middens or refuse heaps have been located, mostly along the coast, throughout the island.

The first known for certain to arrive were the Arawaks who, in course of time, were distributed throughout the whole of the Antilles. At a later date date came the Caribs, a more aggressive type, who largely wiped out the Arawaks-the males at any rate-and established themselves as far North as Puerto Rico. These were in possession at the time of the coming of the European and, as we shall see, did not readily yield to the new comers. Several of their middens have been found in the Vieux Fort area and quite recently, the Beanefield site has revealed a large quantity of artefacts, mostly in the form of pottery, stone or shell. Much more remains to be excavated but specimens of what has been found can be seen at the Archaeological and Historical Society's collection in the Museum.