Ortoire (archaeological site)

The Ortoire archaeological site, located on the southeast coast of Trinidad, serves as the type site for the Ortoiroid people, who migrated to the Antilles around 2000 BCE. This shell midden site, composed primarily of bivalves such as donax clams, includes evidence of domestic activities such as clay hearths with ash, charcoal, and burned shells. Excavations conducted in 1953 by Irving Rouse uncovered a variety of artifacts, including manos, grinding stones, bone points, and quartz and chert chips, dating the site to 800 BCE. The site, notable for its late Archaic Period characteristics, offers valuable insights into the early migration patterns and subsistence strategies of the Ortoiroid people. Its location, near the Ortoire River and a mangrove swamp, highlights the interplay between natural resources and human settlement in prehistoric Trinidad.