Introduction

First inhabited by the Tainos c.500 BCE, Montserrat’s culture and history has been shaped throughout the years by various settlers and events. The Tainos named the pear-shaped island Alliouagana, which means “Land of the Prickly Bush.” They lived in village settlements around the island including, Trants, Little Bay, Windward Bluff, Old Fort Point and Dagenham where they left their mark in the form of artifacts, some of which can be found in the National Museum.