St. Kitts gets first doctor in archaeology for the island

Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 12, 2020 (ZIZ News): St. Kitts national Cameron Gill, successfully completed and received his Doctorate in Archaeology at the Leiden University in the Netherlands.

Dr. Cameron Gill is the tenth in a series of new Leiden University Doctorates in Archaeology on various islands in the Caribbean, which have been the focus of the NEXUS1492 European Union program over the last years.

One of the main emphases of the NEXUS1492 program has been to stimulate more Caribbean nationals to get higher-level degrees in Archaeology, to be able to better assist their islands in heritage matters.

On Dr. Gill’s committee were Caribbean specialists from the region, including Dr. Corinne Hofman (Leiden University and Promoter), Dr. Jay Haviser (St. Maarten and Co-Promoter), and Dr. Reg Murphy (Antigua).

Dr. Gill’s dissertation was on both land and underwater archaeology at the communities of Sandy Point and Fig Tree Bay on St. Kitts.

In connection with his defense, a one-day symposium was also held at Leiden University on February 3rd, with various perspectives from across the Caribbean region regarding the role of Archaeology in the development of community and national self-confidence.