Investigating the Shell Axe Cache at Baie aux Cailles (Cayes), St. Martin

Shell Axe Cache at Baie aux Cailles (Cayes)

Baie aux Cailles (Cayes), located near the Baie Rouge area on St. Martin, is the site of a significant archaeological find: a cache of shell axes, which was discovered during fieldwork in the late 1970s and early 1980s by M.P. Sypkens Smit.

This discovery adds to the understanding of the material culture and technological practices of the island’s pre-Columbian inhabitants.

The cache, identified as site SM. 13, was found less than 500 meters northeast of the Baie Rouge settlement, indicating a possible connection between the two sites. The shell axes were crafted from the outer lip of the Strombus gigas (queen conch), a large marine mollusc that was widely used by the island’s early inhabitants for tool-making. The location of the cache suggests that Baie aux Cailles (Cayes) may have been a site for the production or storage of tools, which were essential for activities such as agriculture, food processing, and possibly even trade.

The proximity of this site to both Baie Rouge and the coastline would have made it an ideal location for accessing marine resources and distributing tools to nearby settlements.

This discovery highlights the resourcefulness of the island’s pre-Columbian communities, who utilized the natural materials available to them to create tools that were vital for their survival and daily activities.

References: Sypkens Smit, M.P., Versteeg, A.H. (1982). Preliminary Report on the Archaeology of St. Martin. Bullen, R., & Bullen, A. (1966). Artifact Variation and Inter-site Relationships.