This summer, a team of researchers and students from UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography worked alongside researchers Sophia Perdikaris of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Reg Murphy of Antigua and Barbuda National Commission for UNESCO, Edith Gonzalez of the University at Buffalo and others to lead an ambitious archaeological expedition that is rewriting the history books in the Caribbean archipelago.

As director of the Scripps Center for Marine Archaeology, I was thrilled to collaborate with local and international researchers as we uncovered extraordinary evidence of the history and prehistory of the islands of Barbuda and Antigua. 

In Barbuda, our research team made a discovery that has stunned the archaeological community: an Indigenous village occupied from roughly A.D. 900 to A.D. 1500, with evidence suggesting an even earlier presence possibly dating back as far as B.C. 2000. Spanning 800 by 1,200 meters (2,600 by 3,900 feet), it may be one of the largest documented settlements in the Caribbean archipelago. This wasn't just a village; it was a sophisticated maritime hub where Indigenous navigators used strategically placed bonfires to guide vessels across the waters between Barbuda and Antigua.

Evidence suggests this site was a crucial nexus for inter-island trade and communication, with connections possibly reaching as far as the Taíno world. The Taíno is the name used to group the Indigenous cultures and peoples who thrived across most of the Greater Antilles when Europeans first arrived in the Caribbean. Far from isolated, they built vast networks of trade and kinship that stretched across the sea, linking islands and communities — possibly as far east as Barbuda. 

The expedition traced an ancient road system — still in use today — that connects this major settlement to a network of strategically positioned villages along Barbuda's eastern coastline, revealing a level of Indigenous planning and connectivity previously unknown.

Our team's work takes on urgent significance as these irreplaceable cultural landscapes face mounting pressure from foreign-funded development projects. Partnering with the Barbuda Research Complex and the Barbuda Council, our research team and our Barbudan colleagues are not just documenting history — we are helping preserve it for future generations.

Beyond making ancient discoveries, the team documented 18th-century colonial ruins, created detailed 3D models of historical structures, and recorded traditional crafts, such as Barbudan broom-making. We also helped relocate the Barbuda History Museum after Hurricane Irma forced its closure. Since July, the museum has been established in its new home at the Barbuda Community Center to ensure these stories remain accessible to the community.

In Antigua, we turned our attention to Nelson's Dockyard UNESCO World Heritage Site, systematically surveying and mapping the historic fortifications, cemeteries, residential and military complexes of Shirley Heights, the Blockhouse, the Ridge and Dow's Hill. Our work revealed previously unknown structures while georeferencing familiar landmarks, creating an invaluable resource for heritage management and protecting this significant cultural heritage. 

Our team is also supporting Murphy’s research efforts on Antigua by developing a system to organize all existing records of Indigenous and archaeological sites on the island. 

This research was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation’s International Research Experiences for Students program, which creates opportunities like this experience for graduate students to conduct their own research and grow as professionals while learning how to do engaged and meaningful work embedded in the community. 

Thanks to our Barbudan team members Sheville Charles, Louise Thomas, Calvin Gore and John Mussington; as well as researchers Hannah Quintance (University at Buffalo); Ethan Jensen (University of Nebraska, Lincoln); graduate students Javier García Colón, Javier Hernández and Diana Peña Bastalla of Scripps; and Rachel Archambault (Université de Montréal).

Isabel Rivera-Collazo is an environmental archaeologist and professor of ecological, biological and human adaptations to climate change at UC San Diego’s Department of Anthropology and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She is also the director of the Scripps Center for Marine Archaeology. Her research focuses on geoarchaeology, archaeomalacology, coastal and marine processes, maritime culture and climate change.

View additional photos from the archaeological expedition below.