Learn the difference between the common ceramic series of the Caribbean (Rouse 1992) with these cheat sheets from Collections Assistant Emily Kracht:

Infographic labeled "A handy guide to Caribbean ceramic identification- Saladoid". With descriptive writing and three hand-drawn images of colorful ceramics. Descriptive writing as follows in bullet points: Fancy af. One of the first series in the Caribbean. Beginning of the "Ceramic Age". Asterisk*. Polychrome painting, with a glossy finish. Est. 800-200 BC, in Venezuela. Spread into Puerto Rico & the Lesser Antilles. People making Saladoid pots were most similar to their mainland neighbors. Relied on a more terrestrial diet. Credit: Emily Kracht (@emweasels). Asterisk (*) at the bottom reads: Though Archaic age groups may have had pottery too!

A handy guide to Caribbean ceramic identification: Saladoid

  • Fancy af
  • One of the first series in the Caribbean
  • Beginning of the “Ceramic Age”*
  • Polychrome painting, with a glossy finish
  • Est. 800-200 BC, in Venezuela
  • Spread into Puerto Rico & the Lesser Antilles
  • People making Saladoid pots were most similar to their mainland neighbors
  • Relied on a more terrestrial diet.

*Though Archaic age groups may have had pottery too!

Infographic labeled "A handy guide to Caribbean ceramic identification- Ostionoid". With descriptive writing and several hand-drawn ceramic sherds, some decorated and red-painted. Descriptive writing as follows in bullet points: Typically more simple, but you can still find painting. Also called "redware". Probably started in Puerto Rico or Hispaniola. Earliest pottery to be imported to the Lucayan Islands. Decoration is also much less common, but not completely absent. Spread throughout the Caribbean, unlike Saladoid series. Credit: Emily Kracht (@emweasels)

A handy guide to Caribbean ceramic identification: Ostionoid

  • Typically more simple, but you can still find painting
  • Also called “redware”
  • Probably started in Puerto Rico or Hispaniola
  • Earliest pottery to be imported to the Lucayan Islands
  • Decoration is also much less common, but not completely absent
  • Spread throughout the Caribbean, unlike Saladoid series

Infographic labeled "A handy guide to Caribbean ceramic identification- Meillacoid". With descriptive writing and several hand-drawn ceramic sherds, featuring appliqué, adornos, punctation, and incised decorations. Descriptive writing as follows in bullet points: Began about AD 850 in Central Hispaniola. Doesn't use red-painting like Ostionoid pottery. Has thin walls with incising, punctation, appliqué, and adornos are common. These adornos are often animalistic. The best way to distinguish between Chicoid is to see if the incising (drawn lines) are thin or "messy". Punctation, folded rims, and cross-hatched incising are commonly Meillacoid series too. Credit: Emily Kracht (@emweasels)

A handy guide to Caribbean ceramic identification: Meillacoid

  • Began about AD 850 in Central Hispaniola
  • Doesn’t use red-painting like Ostionoid pottery
  • Has thin walls with incising, punctation, appliqué, and adornos are common. These adornos are often animalistic
  • The best way to distinguish between Chicoid is to see if the incising (drawn lines) are thin or “messy”. Punctation, folded rims, and cross-hatched incising are commonly Meillacoid series too

Infographic labeled "A handy guide to Caribbean ceramic identification- Chicoid". With descriptive writing and several hand-drawn ceramic sherds, including incised sherds and adornos. Descriptive writing as follows in bullet points: The latest pottery series in Rouse's (1992) series. Quickly overtook other pottery series by AD 1350. People making Chicoid pottery intermarried with other communities and appropriation came soon after. The latest series to be imported into the Lucayan Islands. Common to see incising and adornos. Adornos can be animalistic or humanoid. Incised lines very clean and even. Effigy vessels are common. Credit: Emily Kracht (@emweasels)

A handy guide to Caribbean ceramic identification: Chicoid

  • The latest pottery series in Rouse’s (1992) series
  • Quickly overtook other pottery series by AD 1350
  • People making Chicoid pottery intermarried with other communities and appropriation came soon after
  • The latest series to be imported into the Lucayan Islands
  • Common to see incising and adornos. Adornos can be animalistic or humanoid
  • Incised lines very clean and even. Effigy vessels are common

For more information, see:

Rouse, Irving
1992 The Tainos: Rise and Decline of the People who Greeted Columbus. Yale University Press, New Haven.