THE COLONIZATION OF THE BAHAMA ARCHIPELAGO - A REAPPRAISAL

A number of colonization models have been proposed to explain the preh istoric peopling of the Bahamas archipelago from the Greater Antilles. Each varies in respect to place of origin, timing of migration and se ttlement, routes of movement, intentionalityf, settlement permanency a nd causal agents. The paper summarizes the evidence for each of the mo dels. A new model which suggests that late Ostionan Ostionoid people f rom northern Cuba colonized the central Bahama archipelago circa AD 60 0-900 is presented. This model incorporates the articulation of palaeo climatic push factors, economic pull factors, ease of transport factor s and shallow bank navigation.