Exploring Cupecoy Bay: Pre-Columbian Life on St. Martin

Pre-Columbian Life at Cupecoy Bay

Cupecoy Bay, situated in the Low Lands of St. Martin, is another vital archaeological site that provides insight into the island’s pre-Columbian history. The site was initially excavated by Ripley and Adelaide Bullen in 1961, who uncovered a range of artifacts similar to those found at Red Bay, suggesting that both sites were inhabited around the same period.

The pottery discovered at Cupecoy Bay includes undecorated vessels, griddles, and other ceramic items that are indicative of a culture engaged in cassava cultivation. A significant find from this site was a stone zemi, discovered during a subsequent excavation by J.B. Haviser in the 1980s. This artifact, along with the other tools and pottery, points to a community that relied on marine resources and agricultural practices. The proximity of Cupecoy Bay to the coast allowed its inhabitants to exploit the rich marine environment, much like their counterparts at Red Bay.

The similarity in artifacts between these two sites suggests that the groups occupying them were culturally connected, possibly even part of the same wider community that settled in the Low Lands during the late pre-Columbian period. References: Bullen, R., & Bullen, A. (1961). Excavations at Cupecoy Bay, St. Martin. Haviser, J.B. (1987). Recent Archaeological Investigations at Cupecoy Bay.