Irving Rouse's chronological model greatly influenced archaeological interpretation of the Caribbean region for more than 50 years. Recent work indicates a need for revising the Rouse model, on theoretical grounds and as a practical matter for analysis of Caribbean ceramics collections. We suggest two strategies for revising Rouse's model: the deconstruction of its theoretical premises and how these reveal themselves in the archaeological record; and a systematic revision of the ceramic collections used by Rouse to define his ceramic styles.