Antigua and Barbuda / Special Interests / Archaeology

Human settlements on Antigua go back thousands of years, and items have been recovered from a number of sites across the island. Cades Bay in the south-west is believed to have been a settlement for Carib Indians as artefacts have been recovered from the area, which is now used for growing pineapples.

The Doigs area in the south of the island is said to be the last undisturbed Arawak site on Antigua and excavations have recovered pendants, shell tools and ornaments. Rock formations, known locally as megaliths, dating from when Amerindians lived on the island, can be seen at Green Castle Hill, towards the north. It is thought this area may have been used as an ancient observatory.

For more information on archaeology projects please contact Dr A Reginald Murphy, Archaeologist and Director/Curator at Nelson’s Dockyard Museum (see below). Dr Murphy founded the Field Research Centres at Dow Hill and Nelson’s Dockyard Museum which are a branch of the Historical and Archaeological Society of Antigua.

Archaeology Tours

Nelson’s Dockyard National Parks, offer a number of guided tours including the Behind the Scenes tour (just under 2 hours) of the dockyard with a hike to Fort Berkely. Their Archaeology Tour is more in-depth. It includes the dockyard and then, with jeep transfers, Middle Ground Barracks, Indian Creek, Fort George Monks Hill, Shirley Heights and the Field Research Centre at Dows Hill. The tour takes around 3 hours and requires sturdy outdoor footwear and a good level of physical fitness. Lunch is included. This tour is subject to the availability of the archaeologists and must be requested at least a week in advance.

Non-profit organisations and Government links:

National Parks Authority, Nelson's Dockyard National Parks, PO Box 1283, St John's, t 481 5028 | natpark@candw.ag | www.nationalparksantigua.com

Archaeology Antigua, Field Research Centre, Nelson’s Dockyard Museum, English Harbour, t 481 5028/773 0312, Dr A Reginald Murphy,  regmurphy@hotmail.com | http://archaeologyantigua.org/