Students will learn how archaeological data inform, and have been informed by, historical and contemporary interpretations of Caribbean peoples through the assessment of significant archaeological findings related to the region's indigenous, African, Asian, and European inhabitants. Though content is organized more or less chronologically, several key themes will be traced throughout the course, including: approaches to the construction of chronologies, migration, and colonization; the ways in which archaeological data address issues of identity and culture change; the relationship between written and archaeological sources; and issues of intra- and inter-island variation as these relate to recurring tensions between unity and fragmentation. These themes resonate among contemporary Caribbean peoples and demonstrate how archaeology offers a unique perspective toward the past.