2002 John L. Cotter Award for Excellence in NPS Archeology

Ken Wild in an excavation unit at Cinnamon Bay. NPS photo.

The 2002 NPS Cotter Award has been given to archeologist Ken Wild. In 2001, Wild guided to conclusion a multiyear project of archeological and supporting studies at Cinnamon Bay, St. Johns Island, Virgin Islands National Park.

Beginning in 1998, the project focused on precontact native Taino culture (900-1500 AD) and an early 17^th century plantation village with a cemetery of enslaved people at Cinnamon Bay. Investigation of the Taino ritual and residential site was the first major scientific excavation in US Virgin Islands of the Native people who met Columbus.

Funded from NPS resources and large contributions generated by Friends of the Park, project volunteers and staff accessioned 50,000 archeological materials. Specialists from several natural resource disciplines, academic anthropologists from mainland universities, and Caribbean professional researchers assisted in the project. Hundreds of Virgin Island high school or grade school students as well as students from eight mainland colleges and universities volunteered thousands of hours for excavations, laboratory processing, and research.

Ken Wild, a 20-year Service archeologist, developed a project research design, coordinated field work, guided an on-site laboratory, established volunteers’ schedules, accommodated media coverage, and arranged for colleagues to assist with their contributions. His leadership of the Cinnamon Bay project has had a major impact to enhance understanding of Caribbean archeology and local interest in island heritage resources.