Houses and pottery

Their dwellings, or “bohíos”, were two different types: the caney, with a circular base and conical roof, held up on the interior by a central post surrounded by other posts; and the type used by chiefs, of a wider, rectangle shape, with a two-sides, pointed roof and sometimes featuring a covered porch for receiving visitors.  Both buildings were constructed with the same materials: yagua and bejuco (vines).

Beginning with mud and higüero (a type of wood) products, the Tainos created various vessels and utensils for their daily tasks, such as pots, water jars, basins, spoons and cups.  For sailing, they constructed canoes using a single trunk, generally of mahogany or ceiba.  They slept in hammocks.