Green Castle Hill
Green Castle Hill is situated on the northern fringe of the volcanic highlands and the Central Plain Formation of Antigua. The hill provides a strategic view of the west coast and triangular shaped isolated hills of the Central Plain. On the summit and slopes of this hill, are unusual standing rock formations referred to by Antiguans as megaliths. Although the origins of these standing rocks remain an issue of speculation and mystery, they are clearly associated with a pre-Columbian site. The site is delineated by the remains of shellfish, pottery, lithic flakes and debitage, and faunal remains. It has long been speculated that the hilltop may have been used for ritualistic functions, such or observing the night sky; an ancient observatory. Recent astronomical surveys support this speculation.
Ceramic Age/Pre Columbian Sites: Cades Bay | Doigs | Elliot's | Green Castle Hill | Indian Creek | Long Island | Mill Reef | Royall's
Fort George/Monk's Hill
Following the 1666 invasion and devastation of Antigua by the French, the planters and British military realised the need to defend their colonial interests.
Construction work began atop Monk's Hill in 1689, and ultimately, Great Fort George, a complex of over eight acres in size, was completed around 1715.
Although manned with more than 30 large calibre cannons, the main function of the fort was to serve as a place of security for women, children and personal property.
Fort George primarily served as a signal station. From its prominent position, flags, signal guns and other devices, provided a means of communicating between the other fortifications and colonists.
Today the site is in complete ruin and overgrown with low scrub bush. Its massive cisterns, cemetery, stone buildings and crumbling ramparts are in urgent need of stabilisation and repair.
Doigs (Doegs)
Situated on a gently sloping plain, a half of a kilometer from the sea, this early Ceramic Age (Saladoid) site on the south coast of Antigua, has been dated to about 250 AD. As it is the last undisturbed “Arawak” site on Antigua , it is now the focus of archaeological research. The area of the pre-Columbian settlement at Doig's is bordered by steep hills and a pristine white sand beach. A seasonal stream and the ruins of the early eighteenth century sugar estate are in close proximity to the site. The ruins of these historical period structures have not impacted the prehistoric site but added another dimension and enhanced the archaeology. Archaeology at the site is being conducted by Ph.D. candidate Christy de Mille of the University of Calgary, Department of Archaeology, with the assistance of the research department of the National Parks, Antigua.
Artifacts uncovered, include numerous beads and pendants of various minerals and stones, such as carnelian and barites, along with evidence of manufacturing, worked shell tools and ornaments, and excellent examples of ceramics typical of the Saladoid peoples and culture.
Ceramic Age/Pre Columbian Sites: Cades Bay | Doigs | Elliot's | Green Castle Hill | Indian Creek | Long Island | Mill Reef | Royall's
Elliot's
The site of Elliot's is situated about 1 mile inland, along the Ayre's Creek watercourse that drains into Nonsuch Bay. No post-Saladoid artifacts have been found at this site, several Archaic Age macro-blades have. The area of prehistoric settlement (approx. 300 meters by 400 meters) is being cultivated and with each plowing episode, new artifacts are churned to the surface. The farming activities are clearly destroying large portions of the site. However, a large volume of artifacts are collected between plowing episodes. Excavations on the site was conducted in 1997 and 2003 in both inside and outside of the plowed fields.
Elliot's (PH-03) has yielded a large amount of exotic artifacts. These include, stone zemis, shell beads and pendants, adornos, carved shell ornaments and tools, jadeite axes, nephrite frogs, and a significant amount of ceramic and lithic artifacts.
Ceramic Age/Pre Columbian Sites: Cades Bay | Doigs | Elliot's | Green Castle Hill | Indian Creek | Long Island | Mill Reef | Royall's
Coconut Hall
Late Ceramic Age (Post Saladoid)
Coconut Hall is a large post-Saladoid site on the northeast coast of Antigua. Radiocarbon dates of the site range between 900 AD and 1200 AD. The material culture of this site is consistent with other post Saladoid sites on Antigua, such as Muddy Bay, Blackman's and the now lost Mamora Bay site.