The Atlantic Ocean - Lucayan remains of Grand Bahama
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The Atlantic Ocean
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Introduction
The Atlantic is the second largest ocean on the planet. It is the resting place of the Titanic, home to the mysterious Bermuda Triangle and is the youngest of the Earth's great oceans. It reaches depths of 8,500 metres. Oceans investigates this influential body of water from a group of islands in its western reaches - the Bahamas.
Lucayan remains of Grand Bahama
Overview
The Lucayans were an ancient people who are thought to have colonised the Bahamas from South America. It is believed that they travelled on wooden rafts using ocean currents and prevailing winds. A cave on Grand Bahama contains rare evidence of the Lucayan civilisation.
In this underwater cave, a skull has been found which is thought to be Lucayan due to its flat forehead. Lucayans strapped wood to their heads which caused their foreheads to become flatter than those of normal skulls. The Lucayans believed they originated from caves, which may be why they chose to bury their dead there. The Lucayan culture died out as a consequence of European colonisation.
| Importance: | This site contains rare evidence of the Lucayan civilisation that populated the Bahamas before colonisation by Europeans. |
| Dive category: | This is a cave dive which requires cave dive training and experience. |
| Access: | Due to the rarity of the remains found within these caves access is restricted. |
Interesting for
- A peaceful civilisation wiped out by slavery
- The Turks and Caicos National Museum tells the story of the demise of the Lucayan civilisation.
- Lucayan History
- Owners of the land
- This article, first published in 2002, by Melissa Arditto gives a detailed account of the civilisation that inhabited the Bahamas before the arrival of Columbus.
- Lucayans
BBC related content
- Oceans presenter biography: Lucy Blue
- Oceans presenter biography: Tooni Mahto
- Oceans image gallery: The Atlantic Ocean
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