Hope Estate: Earliest Settlement
Hope Estate is recognized as the site of the earliest known settlement on St. Martin.
Archaeological evidence from this location reveals traces of habitation dating back to 550 BC and continuing until 600 AD.
This period, known as the Archaic Age, was marked by a reliance on hunting, fishing, and gathering wild vegetables.
The inhabitants of Hope Estate used stone and shell tools but did not practice agriculture or pottery.
The site provides a crucial link to the early history of the Lesser Antilles, showing how the island’s first inhabitants, likely originating from the Orinoco basin in Venezuela, adapted to and thrived in their environment.
References: St. Maarten National Heritage Foundation, St. Maarten Museum.