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UNDERSEA FIND of a LARGE SALADOID BOTTLE, TRINIDAD, WEST Indffis

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UNDERSEA FIND OF A LARGE SALADOID BOTTLE, TRINIDAD, WEST INDffiS Peter O'B. Harris ABSTRACT My aims are to report the underwater find of a large Saladoid bottle off Gaspar Grande Island, northwest Trinidad and to research its probable date, use, and method of deposition. Analysis of its attributes suggests a use-design of filling by immersion, transport, and pouring. Its archeological style and comparison with a regional typology of Saladoid bottles (to be published elsewhere) suggest a date of B.C. 200-A.D. 100. Comparison with an array of ethnological liquids suggests the most likely content is beer, or beer with a hallucinogenic additive. A review of the environmental context and associated archeological and ethnohistorical data, suggests three deposition scenarios: offering to a spirit resident in dangerous waters; a cave locality; when traveling by canoe between Trinidad and Venezuela, with offerings for the village being host to the fiesta. Finally I note the lack of a national heritage management structure in Trinidad, and make some recommendations. RESUMEN En este informe mis fines son documentar el hallazgo submarino de una gran potiza Saladoide cerca de la isla Gaspar Grande en la parte noroeste de Trinidad; y investigar su época, uso, y modo de depósito. Un análisis de sus atributos sugere un diseño de llenar para sumersión, de trasportar, y de verter. Su estilo arqueológico y la comparación con una tipología regional de potizas Saladoides (la cual se publica en otra parte) sugeren una fecha de A.C. 200-D.C. 100. La comparación con una serie de líquidos etnológicos sugere que el contenido más probable sea la cerveza, o la cerveza más algo de narcótico. Una revista de su contexto ecológico, más unos datos arqueológicos y etno-historicos, sugere tres escenarios: una ofrenda a 1'espiritu que habita un rincón de mar peligroso; o una caverna cercana; o las canoas que viajan entre Trinidad y Venezuela, y que portan las ofrendas al pueblo que patrocine la fiesta. Finalmente, observo carencia en Trinidad de una structura administrativa de herencia nacional, y hago algunas recomendaciones. RESUME Dans cette présentation, mes buts sont d'enregistrer la trouvaille sous-marine d'une grande bouteille Saladoide pres de l'île de Gaspar Grande dans la partie nord-ouest de la Trinidad; et d'en rechercher la date, l'utilisation, et la maniere de déposition. L'analyse des attributs suggère une dessein qui inclut le remplir par immersion, le transport, et le verser. Le style archéologique et le comparaison avec une typologie régionale des bouteilles Saladoides (qui se publiera ailleurs) suggèrent une datation de 200 av J-C a 100 ap J-C. Le comparaison avec une série de liquides ethnologiques suggère la biere comme le contenu le plus probable, ou bien la biere plus un additif hallucinogène. Je passe en revue le contexte écologique, plus les données archéologiques et ethnohistoriques, et je propose trois scénarios de déposition: une offrande a l'esprit qui habite un coin de mer dangereux; ou une caverne voisinante; ou bien les canots qui voyagent entre la Trinidad et la Venezuela, et qui portent des offrandes au village qui patronne la fiesta. Enfin j'indique le manque en Trinidad d'une structure administrative d'héritage national, et j ' avance trois recommandations. KEYWORDS: Ethnie Drinks, Heritage Mana, Vessel Use-Design. 248 Harris INTRODUCTION In December 1990 an amateur scuba diver, Trystram Alley, found a large virtually complete Amerindian bottle in 5 m of water off the coast of Gaspar Grande Island, northwest Trinidad (Figures 1 and 2). The site is registered as SGE-37 Scorpion's Ledge.1 This paper reports the attributes and find context of the bottle, and researches its date, use, and deposition.2 ATTRIBUTE ANALYSIS AND USE-DESIGN The vessel has a small mouth, two-stage neck, tall enclosed body, and three strap-handles affixed to the body (Figures 3 and 4). Main dimensions are height 40 cm, maximum diameter 24.2 cm, mouth inner diameter 3.6 cm, and estimated body capacity around 8.6 liters. A thin section from the neck shows a sedimentary clay matrix, with sedimentary silt inclusions ca 1 mm of irregular angularity and grain size, in which clay minerals, quartz and feldspar sand predominate; the sand may have been added (Tony Senior personal communication 1998). The temper size ca 1 mm, seemingly even thickness 5 mm at the neck, and polished surface suggest fineware. Analysis of vessel attributes allows one to hypothesize use-design. The exterior thickened rim,3 back-slanted neck (Figure 4), and slight taper of the upper neck all suggest pouring. The globular lower neck may be functional (see strainer below), but is also part of the decoration theme. The large enclosed two-keeled body seems designed to contain a liquid. The taper suggests design both for pouring and stability. I classify the base as flat, although it is slightly concave. Its width 10.5 cm suggests design for stability. The slight concavity may be for strength, or for carrying on the head. Placement of the three body-handles seems designed for filling by horizontal immersion, pouring, and also as part of the decoration theme. A 5-cm wide band of probable use-wear across the back of the upper body between the pair of side-handles suggests use of a woven strap or belt for support during horizontal filling or pouring. The decoration theme is an anthropomorphic effigy, probably male. The globular lower neck, pair of side handles on the upper body, and single frontal handle on the lower body suggest head, arms, and penis. A pellet-incised face and ears on the globular lower neck (Figures 3 and 4) confirm its role as a head. A patchy overall brown patina may be functional (resin finish increasing impermeability), or decoration (worn-red paint), or both. Areas of damage appear to be post-deposition. The worn stumps of the missing frontal handle suggest long-term scouring by undersea currents and sand. Considerable surface spalling on the back of the body suggests scuffing where the vessel rested on the sea bed. Minor damage to the rim, the mouth of the decorated face, and side-handle edges suggest short-term bumping against a rocky sea floor. Attributes and use-wear suggest design as a vertical container for liquids, filling by horizontal immersion, possibly vertical transport on the head, and pouring. ARCHEOLOGICAL STYLE, VESSEL TYPE, DATE Style Two attributes (pellet-incision, vertical strap-handles) place the vessel in Rouse's (1992) 250 Proceedings of the 17th Congress for Caribbean Archaeology Cedrosan Saladoid subseries. This style lasts a long time in Trinidad: Cedros (. 200 B.C.-AD?), Early Palo Seco (A.D. ?-350), Late Palo Seco (A.D. 350-650) (Harris 1991), plus the poorly researched Blanchisseuse style of north Trinidad (?A.D. 1-350) (Boomert 1984). Sand temper suggests the Cedros style of south Trinidad (Rouse 1953), although I expected the particle size to be finer ca .5 mm. Arie Boomert (personal communication 1999) agrees that the boundary between Cedros and Early Palo Seco is difficult to draw. He sees a similarity in vessel profile with Early El Cuartel (Venezuelan north coast), and favours the Early Palo Seco style. Vessel type In Nassau, I presented a preliminary regional typology of small-mouthed or spouted vessels for the Early-modified Saladoid period (ca 500 B .C- A.D. 650) representing Venezuela-Puerto Rico. This is too large to include here, but I give an outline. My sample comprizes 46 vessels and 87 recognizable parts. Using attributes of use-design (shape, size, appendage) and decoration-design, I do a primary sort into 22 vessel types, which include probable transition types. Using the same attributes, I do a secondary sort into six vessel groups. I then do a sort of occasional attributes such as mini-handles, stratigraphie association, burial items, and underwater context. I suggest the six groups represent beer (3 groups representing different periods), an unknown hallucinogenic drink, Banisteriopsis, and tobacco-juice. I also track apparent changes of vessel-type over time, and discover that shape often changes separately from, and before, decoration. This creates a recognizable chronological phase characterized by Early Saladoid decoration and modified Saladoid shape. I plan to report these data elsewhere as a separate paper entitled "Saladoid Bottles." The Scorpion's Ledge bottle belongs to a pair of vessel types I call Three-handled and Two- handled Bottle. Shared defining attributes are a small mouth, two-part neck (upper inflected, lower globular), enclosed body, strap-handles, and anthropomorphic silhouette or decoration. THREE-HANDLED BOTTLE (Figure 5a-b). Defining attributes are tall proportions, thickened rim, and three strap-handles on the body (two up, one down).4 Other attributes include a wide size range (large to small/very small), two-keeled or low-keel body, small flat base, and variable decoration (none, pellet-incised). Decorated examples depict the globular lower-neck as a head. Occasional attributes include an internal strainer built into the base of the globular lower neck (1). Internal strainers are an occasional attribute with a wide distribution (Figure 7): Grenada (1), Vieques (1), eastern Dominican Republic (3) and a long history without design change: Cedrosan Saladoid (2), Chican, i.e., A.D. 1200-1500 (3). Use-design suggests support for a flexible item, which would be trapped in the globular lower neck during filling or pouring, and which could be removed through the narrow upper neck after use. I hypothesize a permeable woven bag containing a substance (perhaps hallucinogenic) to modify the liquid contents. Thickened rims seem unsuitable for drinking. Three handles seem designed to facilitate filling by immersion (say in a stream, pool, or beer-canoe), lifting on and off the head, and pouring.
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