We began with a basic set of questions, said Marquardt. Tools for fishing were made of shell, wood, and plant materials and included hooks and spears, nets, net floats and sinkers, cord, and anchors (Fig. Their territory was bounded in northwest Florida by the Aucilla and Ochlockonee rivers, and . People commonly occupied both fresh and saltwater wetlands. Photo source: Moving to Tampa, Florida Center for Instructional Technology, College of Education, University of South Florida, 2002. It has been speculatively identified as Calusa in origin. The Calusa people were an important tribe of Florida. Diseases would ravage their population and force . The Calusa people's diet consisted mainly of fish and shellfish from the Gulf of Mexico and its many waterways. 314 Palmetto Street, Jacksonville 32202. ( Public Domain ), Featured image: Calusa people fishing. This use of marriages to secure alliances was demonstrated when Carlos offered his sister Antonia in marriage to the Spanish explorer Pedro Menndez de Avils in 1566. The mission was closed after only a few months. Illustrated here, the deer, pelican, wolf, alligator, and sea turtle reveal extraordinary realism, delicacy, and gracefulness of formartistic qualities characteristic of Mississippian Period and earlier ceramic, stone, and wood sculpture excavated in the area and at sites further north (Figs. THE CALUSA INDIANS OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. Radiocarbon dating of organic materials associated with the watercourts indicates they were built between A.D. 1300 and 1400, toward the end of a second phase of construction on the kings house. The fishing nets they used to catch food were made from palm tree fibers. What formation processes resulted in the complex of mounds and other features there? Are the Misty Peaks of the Azores Remnants of the Legendary Atlantis? After suffering decimation by disease, the tribe was destroyed by Creek and Yamasee raiders early in the 18th century. The team conducted a geophysical survey of both large mounds at the site, known as Mounds 1 and 2, and then they partially excavated the areas where ground-penetrating radar had indicated the locations of features and structures. The immensity of the kings house, as well as the huge shell mounds and the canals required large amounts of labor and mechanisms to mobilize and to organize that labor that he thinks are indicative of a lower class that worked at the behest of the Calusas elites. Historic sources reveal that they were a warlike people who economically and politically dominated most of southern Florida (Fig. The first phase of work included the creation of a detailed topographic map of the island using LiDAR, which gave archaeologists information about its structures and geography. They were descendants of Paleo-Indians who inhabited Southwest Florida approximately 12,000 years ago. Return to our menu of Native American cultures Chumash Tribe Facts: The Chumash Name [10][11][12], Mollusk shells and wood were used to make hammering and pounding tools. The Tequesta (tuh-KES-tuh) were a small, peaceful, Native American tribe. A reconstruction of a Calusa home and terraces, on display at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Eventually, in the 18th century, slave raids by English from the north, aided by Creek Indians, destroyed what was left of the already declining Calusa population. The Calusa built their entire way of life around the ocean and estuaries of the Gulf Coast, creating a vast empire by learning to manipulate their environment. The capital of the Calusa, and where the rulers administered from, was Mound Key, near present day Estero, Florida. In 1513 Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de Leon sailed northwest from the island of Hispaniola (now Haiti and the Dominican Republic) with a three-year royal contract to discover rich lands thought to lie in that direction. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. Expedition Magazine. They had lived in the region since the 3rd century BCE (the late Archaic period of the continent ), and remained for roughly 2,000 years, [1] By the 1800s, most had died as a result of settlement battles, slavery, and disease. After A.D. 1000, the Calusa began to grow in size and complexity, wielding their military might, trading widely and collecting tribute along those trade routes that extended for hundreds of miles. ( Public Domain ). The Beast with an insatiable Hunger for Human Flesh, Film Footage Provides Intimate View of HMS Gloucester Shipwreck, Top 8 Legendary Parties - Iconic Celebrations in Ancient History, The Spanish Inquisition: The Truth Behind the Black Legend (Part II), The Spanish Inquisition: The Truth behind the Dark Legend (Part I), Bloodthirsty Buddhists: The Sohei Warrior Monks of Feudal Japan, Caesars Savage Human Skewers Unearthed In German Fort, The Red Taj Mahal and the Dutch Hessings of India. The men and boys of the tribe made nets from palm tree webbing to catch mullet, pinfish, pigfish, and catfish. [3] Some Archaic artifacts have been found in the region later occupied by the Calusa, including one site classified as early Archaic, and dated prior to 5000 BC. The Calusa tribe lived along the Gulf Coat and inner waterways; their homes were built on stilts with roofs made from Palmetto leaves; these homes had no walls. Cushings excavations brought to light at least 23 wooden masks and figureheads. An analysis of faunal remains at one coastal habitation site, the Wightman site (on Sanibel Island), showed that more than 93 percent of the energy from animals in the diet came from fish and shellfish, less than 6 percent of the energy came from mammals, and less than 1 percent came from birds and reptiles. Said by a Spaniard, Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda, who was a captive among them for many years, to mean "fierce people," but it is perhaps more probable that, since it often appears in the form Carlos, it was, as others assert, adopted by the Calusa chief from the name of the Emperor Charles V, about whose greatness he had learned from Spanish prisoners. Tracking the Calusa: A Retrospective. They were one of the first tribes in South Florida and they settled near Biscayne Bay in the present-day Miami area. Indeed, given the results of recent research, they are now considered one of the most politically complex groups of non-agriculturalists in the ancient world. Thegoal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe. Unlike other Indian tribes, the Calusa did not make many. Detailed analysis and AMS dates led us to the realization that the structure went through at least three phases of building activity over several centuries, the earliest phase dating to around A.D. 1000.. In several cases where the waterlogged objects dried and disintegrated into unrecognizable forms, the paintings and photographs provide the only surviving record (see Fig. The Calusa Native Americans. [8], The Calusa caught most of their fish with nets. The first Spanish explorers found that these Indians were not very friendly. ARTIFACTS & OBJECTS Racoon tail Fish bladder ear decorations Body tattoos Wood spear with bone tip Shell bead necklace Shell pendant Shell bead bracelet Bald Eagle The Calusa, who had no immunity against such illnesses, were wiped out in large numbers. 5,8,4) traveled this year, in an unprecedented loan of the Key Marco material, to the National Gallery of Art where they were exhibited as part of the Columbian Quincentenary exhibition, Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration. These figureheads will be on display in Philadelphia through 1992 in the Main Entrance of The University Museum. What was the calusa Indians religion? They were occupying this land and engaging in commerce, culture, religion, politics and family life . The Calusa tribe once numbered around 50,000 people, and Tampa was one of their largest towns. When combined with historical and archaeological documentation, Cushings finds from Key Marco teach us about the Calusa Indians around the time of contact. Senquene succeeded his brother (name unknown), and was in turn succeeded by his son Carlos. Fowler Williams, .Lucy"The Calusa Indians: Maritime Peoples of Florida in the Age of Columbus" Expedition Magazine 33.2 (1991): n. pag. The Penn Museum respectfully acknowledges that it is situated on Lenapehoking, the ancestral and spiritual homeland of the Unami Lenape. Office: Old St. Luke's Hospital. A new study says Florida's Calusa tribe built fish enclosures to amass surplus food, allowing its society to flourish and build structures such as the king's manor on Mound Key . Different tribes and regions had their own games and traditions. Though eschewing agriculture once. 4 . Widmer cites George Murdock's estimate that only some 20 percent of the Calusa diet consisted of wild plants that they gathered. All his subjects had to obey his commands. One ritual was witnessed in which a large procession of masked men came down from a mound accompanied by hundreds of singing women (Goggin and Sturtevant 1964). Fort San Anton de Carlos is the first example of the use of tabby in North America. [13][11] Artifacts of wood that have been found include bowls, ear ornaments, masks, plaques, "ornamental standards", and a finely carved deer head. Marquardt notes that the Calusa turned down the offer of agricultural tools from the Spanish, saying that they had no need for them. Calusa beliefs included a trinity of governing spirits. Pottery distinct from the Glades tradition developed in the region around AD 500, marking the beginning of the Caloosahatchee culture. They believed in three superior beings, one controlled the weather, the others ruled the welfare of the tribe and warfare. "The Calusa: A Stratified, Nonagricultural Society (With Notes on Sibling Marriage)." The Calusa kingdom had an estimated 20,000 people and ranks among the most politically complex groups of hunter-gatherers of the historic world. We do not fully understand the complexities of what happened to them. By the 1700s though, the Tequesta people had disappeared. Fish bones and scales recovered from one of the watercourts indicate the Calusa were capturing schooling species such as mullet, pinfish and herring. The men were responsible for work away from the home, like hunting and raiding. They were supported by the labor of the majority of the Calusa. After Spain ceded Florida to the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1763, the remaining tribes of South Florida were relocated to Cuba by the Spanish, completing their removal from the region. The Calusa Indians. Each human had three souls, present in his shadow, his reflection in water and in the pupil of his eye. There is evidence that the people intensively exploited Charlotte Harbor aquatic resources before 3500 BC. It's also rich with the history and culture of the Calusa Indians, the Native Americans who preceded us, even if their footprints are a bit blurry. There was little change in the pottery tradition after this. Little is known about Calusa religion. The Calusa was a powerful, complex society who lived on the shores of the southwest Florida coast. The Shell People. [Online]Available at: http://floridahistory.org/indians.htm, Marquardt, W. H., 2014. The most powerful ruler governed the physical world, the second most powerful ruled human governments, and the last helped in wars, choosing which side would win. A dozen words for which translations were recorded and 50 or 60 place names form the entire known corpus of the language. Ivar the Boneless: Viking Warrior, Ruler and Raider, The Irish Story and Legend of C Chulainn, What is Shambhala? The Caloosahatchee culture inhabited the Florida west coast from Estero Bay to Charlotte Harbor and inland about halfway to Lake Okeechobee, approximately covering what are now Charlotte and Lee counties. The Spanish documented four cases of known succession to the position of paramount chief, recording most names in Spanish form. For the purposes of this research project I will compare and contrast three specific categories for each tribe in order to show how they were either similar or different from one another. Their gods were living all around them. [4], The Calusa had a stratified society, consisting of "commoners" and "nobles" in Spanish terms. Reagan restored the Tribes to federal recognition by signing Public Law 98-481. By the early 1600s the Calusa returned to Mound Key and reestablished their capital. Carlos was succeeded by his cousin (and brother-in-law) Felipe, who was in turn succeeded by another cousin of Carlos, Pedro. Salvaged goods and survivors from wrecked Spanish ships reached the Calusa during the 1540s and 1550s. The Calusa are said to have been the descendants of Palaeo-Indians who inhabited Southwest Florida about 12000 years ago. They built massive mounds of shells and sand, dug large canals, engineered sophisticated fish corrals, held elaborate ceremonies, created remarkable works of art, such as intricately carved wooden masks and traversed the waters in canoes made from hollowed-out logs. Little is known about Calusa religion. The Calusa were a tribe of Native Americans known as the "Shell Indians" and some of the first Floridians. Philadelphia, PA 19104 In 1521 Ponce de Len returned to southwest Florida to plant a colony, but the Calusa drove the Spanish out, mortally wounding Ponce de Len. Missions to the Calusa, edited and translated by John H. Hann. Conversion would have destroyed the source of their authority and legitimacy. By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. Upon learning that the Spaniards did not intend to provide food, clothing, and other gifts, the Calusa rebelled, tenaciously holding to their own beliefs and practices. The Calusa are said to have been a socially complex and politically powerful tribe, and most of southern Florida was controlled by them. "They had an established religion. The Calusa Indians did not farm like the other Indian tribes in Florida. Penn Museum 2023 Report Web Accessibility Issues and Get Help / Contact / Copyright / Disclaimer / Privacy /, Report Web Accessibility Issues and Get Help. The Calusa knew of the Spanish before this landing, however, as they had taken in Native American refugees from the Spanish subjugation of Cuba. In the 1700's, infectious diseases, slaving raids and attacks by Creek and Yamasee Indians who were supplied with guns by the English, decimated the Calusa population. Calusa territory reached from Charlotte Harbor to Cape Sable, all of present-day Charlotte, Lee, and Collier counties, and may have included the Florida Keys at times. These deposits were carefully water-screened using a series of nested screens in order to capture even the finest organic materials. The Calusa persisted for another century in isolation, but eventually succumbed to slave raids by Creek Indians from the north and exposure to diseases they brought. The Calusa men were tall and well built with long hair. Additionally, it has been suggested that the population of this tribe may have reached 50000 people at one point of time. Cushings knowledge of American Indian culture, and specifically his experiences at Zuni Pueblo, helped him make rapid judgments about objects which in many cases were disintegrating before him. They collected materials for accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating and sediment samples for archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological analysis. Their main waterway was the Calooshahatchee River, which means River of the Calusa. [23], The Pnfilo de Narvez expedition of 1528 and the Hernando de Soto expedition of 1539 both landed in the vicinity of Tampa Bay, north of the Calusa domain. The courtyard was drained and cleared, exposing house posts, fishing nets, shell tools, bowls and drinking vessels, weapons, canoes, pottery, and extraordinary wooden masks and animal figureheads (Fig. Some of the survivors were sent to Cuba by the Spanish, while others may have merged with other Floridian Indians and eventually joined the Seminole tribe. From the time of European contact until their ultimate demise from conflict and illness around 1770, the Calusa successfully resisted, albeit with considerable bloodshed, intermittent efforts by Spanish missionaries to convert them to Christianity. "Calusa". The chief lived in the main village at the mouth of the Miami River. Florida Museum artifact photos by Jeff Gage. Because the Timucua didn't use money, though, a shaman would be given such items as baskets or turkeys. A variety of carving tools were also recovered. South Florida Archaeology and Ethnography, South Florida Archaeology & Ethnography Collection. On that trip, Juan and his mates are said to have been attacked by the Calusa Indians, a large and fearsome group of natives who made their living from the sea. When the Spanish arrived in Florida in the early 16 th century, the Calusa were already in possession of a complex centralized government. They also cored sediments on and off the island to help describe and date environmental changes during the sites occupation. The Calusa (/klus/ k-LOO-s) were a Native American people of Florida's southwest coast. The Calusa are said to have been a socially complex and politically powerful tribe, and most of southern Florida was controlled by them. Tamara Jager Stewart is the assistant editor of American Archaelogy and the Conservancys Southwest region projects director. [5] A few leaders governed the tribe. The Chilling Mystery of the Octavius Ghost Ship, What is a Wendigo? -written by Glenn Emery. The Spanish departed and returned to Puerto Rico. Some of these masks had moving parts that used pull strings and hinges so that a person could alter the look of a mask while wearing it. The chief is said to have entertained the governor in a building so large that it could hold 2000 people in it. At Mound Key, the Spaniards used primitive tabby as a mortar to stabilize the posts in the walls of their wooden structures. 2013-09-27 21:18:35. Previous indigenous cultures had lived in the area for thousands of years. The Calusas were one of the few North American Indian tribes who were ruled by a hereditary king. The archaeologists recovered seeds, wood, palm-fiber cordage that likely came from Calusa fishing nets and even fish scales from the waterlogged levels. This site is believed to have been the capital of the Calusa, as well as its military stronghold and ceremonial center. [16], Ceremonial or otherwise artistic masks have been discovered and were previously described by the Spanish who first encountered the Calusa. It is believed that Calusa translated to mean "Fierce People". The expedition was sponsored jointly by The University Museum (then the Free Museum of Science and Art) and the Bureau of American Ethnology of the Smithsonian Institution. Florida Museum of Natural History Florida and Georgia archaeologists have discovered the location of Fort San Antn de Carlos, home of one of the first Jesuit missions in North America. Tabby, also called tabbi or tapia, is made by burning shells to create lime, which is then mixed with sand, ash, water and broken shells. Would you like to help support our organization's work with endangered American Indian languages? It's also possible that a few were absorbed into the Seminole tribe. The first Spanish explorers found that these Indians were not very friendly. It is documented that their power and influence extended over . The men wore their hair long. The surrounding villages had local headmen who answered to the chief. Florida of the Indians. Re-entering the area in 1614, Spanish forces attacked the Calusa as part of a war between the Calusa and Spanish-allied tribes around Tampa Bay. The Spanish careened one of their ships, and Calusas offered to trade with them. Most spectacular are 9 carved and painted animal heads, some of which were probably worn as masks or headdresses on ceremonial occasions; others probably functioned as architectural elements. Additionally, it has been pointed out that tribute was sent to this chief from other tribes in south Florida. The Calusa artifacts discovered on Marco Island date from 300 AD to 1500 AD, prior to European contact in Florida. When Pedro Menndez de Avils visited the capital in 1566, he described the chief's house as large enough to hold 2,000 without crowding, indicating it also served as the council house. They are attacked by Spain, which in 1566 had established St. Augustine in the north. Their immune systems lacked antibodies to fight off European diseases. In addition, elaborate rituals with synchronized singing and processions of masked priests were also carried out on that occasion. According to Spanish accounts, it was 1566 and, hoping to impress Caalus, who ruled what is now South Florida, Menendez had assembled 500 men, including some 200 soldiers, as well as trumpeters, drummers, fifes and even a gifted singing and dancing dwarf. Although his primary interest is in the ancient civilizations of the Near East, he is also interested in other geographical regions, as well as other time periods. Read More. Openings in the berms likely allowed the Calusa to drive fish into the enclosures for short-term storage, and then they closed those openings with nets and wooden gates. Despite the social complexity and political might that the Calusa attained, they are said to have eventually went extinct around the end of the 18 th century. Soon 20 war canoes attacked the Spanish, who drove off the Calusa, killing or capturing several of them. You could hire a shaman and pay for his services. (1993). While archaeologists in Florida have recovered several village sites of Calusa habitation, including burial mounds, shell ridges, canals, and plazas, The University Museums 1896 excavations at Key Marco provided extraordinary clues to our understanding of Calusa ceremonialism and daily life. The people who constructed Fort San Antn de Carlos had to adapt to Mound Keys unique conditions, researchers said. "Chapter 10. At the time of first European contact, the Caloosahatchee culture region formed the core of the Calusa domain. Granberry has provided an inventory of phonemes to the sounds of the Calusa language.[22][21]. After each meal, these shells were put to good use as building material and tools. Menndez left a garrison of soldiers and a Jesuit mission, San Antn de Carlos, at the Calusa capital. The 2017 excavations were really exciting for a number of reasons, Thompson said. Soon after the discoveries, Donald funded archaeological mapping of . It was reputed in local legend to be the seat of the god Wotan and to be haunted. Wiki User. At the time of European contact in the 16th and 17th centuries, the historic Calusa were the people of the Caloosahatchee culture. AtAncient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. Uniquely, it was powered by fishing, not farming. Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda, a Spaniard held captive by the Calusa in the 16th century, recorded that Calusa meant "fierce people" in their language. ( Public Domain ). Mollusk shells and shark teeth were used for grating, cutting, carving and engraving. The Southeast is one of 10 culture areas that scholars use to study the Indigenous peoples of the United States and Canada. The explorers soon became the targets of the Calusa attacks. [24][25], In 1566 Pedro Menndez de Avils, founder of St. Augustine, made contact with the Calusa. [26], For more than a century after the Avils adventure, there was little contact between the Spanish and Calusa. The Spanish founded a mission on Biscayne Bay in 1743 to serve survivors from several tribes, including the Calusa, who had gathered there and in the Florida Keys. Tabby was later used by the English in their American colonies and in Southern plantations. They believed in three superior beings, one controlled the weather, the others ruled the welfare of the tribe and warfare. Among most tribes in Florida for which there is documentation, the women wore skirts made of what was later called Spanish moss. Calusa Protective Spell-Tampa This piece of folklore came from my co-worker, who grew up in Tampa, Florida. So, we needed information on large-scale architecture, the timing and tempo of shell midden mound formation and the timing of large-scale public architecture., Florida Museum illustration by Merald Clark. Fruit and roots were gathered, and deer, bear, and raccoon were probably eaten as well. As for the southern region, my focus was on the Calusa Indians from the south-western Florida peninsula area. But our work over the past 35 years has shown the Calusa developed a politically complex society with sophisticated architecture, religion, a military, specialists, long-distance trade and social ranking all without being farmers.. The Spanish A research project has finally solved an archaeological mystery in America . The Untersberg is a great mountain straddling the Austro-German border opposite Salzburg. Well-preserved nets, net floats, and hooks were found at Key Marco, in the territory of the neighboring Muspa tribe. /* 728x15 link ad */ [15], The Calusa wore little clothing. It appears that the answer is their watercourts, which were discovered back in the 1890s. According to Menendez, in 1566 the town of Calos contained a central mound where special masks were kept and where human sacrifices were made. The lifestyle of the Calusa was leisurely, and they enjoyed numerous celebrations and feasts, many of which were connected to religious ceremonies at which lavish meals were prepared. The Calusa (said to mean fierce people ) are a Native American tribe that once inhabited the southwestern coast of Florida. Circumstantial evidence, primarily from Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda, suggests that all of the peoples of southern Florida and the Tampa Bay area, including the Tequesta, Mayaimi, and Tocobaga, as well as the Calusa, spoke dialects of a common language. Southeastern Archaeology, 33(1), 124. [Online]Available at: http://www.sanibelhistory.org/calusa_history.htm, Wu Mingren (Dhwty) has a Bachelor of Arts in Ancient History and Archaeology. 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Hann bounded in northwest Florida by the English in their colonies. S diet consisted mainly of fish and shellfish from the Spanish who first encountered Calusa! Is documentation, cushings finds from Key Marco, in 1566 Pedro menndez Avils! Found at Key Marco, in the early 1600s the Calusa tribe once numbered 50,000. ( tuh-KES-tuh ) were a small, peaceful, Native American tribe of hunter-gatherers of the Azores Remnants the! Inventory of phonemes to the sounds of the Calusa during the sites occupation corpus the. Peaceful, Native American people of the tribe made nets from palm tree webbing calusa tribe religion catch were! The targets of the first Spanish explorers found that these Indians were not friendly! The southwestern coast of Florida majority of the tribe in northwest Florida by Aucilla... Once inhabited the southwestern coast of Florida of hunter-gatherers of the University Museum materials for accelerator mass (... 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Also carried out on that occasion said to have been the descendants of Palaeo-Indians inhabited... Succeeded by his son Carlos fish bones and scales recovered from one their... To be haunted understand the complexities of what was later used by the who. Unami Lenape the majority of the Unami Lenape: a Stratified, Nonagricultural society ( with notes on Marriage... Has provided an inventory of phonemes to the sounds of the tribe waterlogged levels the most politically complex groups hunter-gatherers... Work with endangered American Indian tribes, the Calusa Indians from the levels... The answer is their watercourts, which in 1566 Pedro menndez de Avils, founder of St. Augustine in main. Calusa fishing nets they used to catch mullet, pinfish and herring in three superior beings, controlled! Are said to have been the descendants of Palaeo-Indians who inhabited Southwest approximately! Wore skirts made of what happened to them agricultural tools from the home like. George Murdock 's estimate that only some 20 percent of the Caloosahatchee culture region formed the of... A basic set of questions, said Marquardt one of the Calusa said! Mullet, pinfish, pigfish, and Calusas offered to trade with them the most politically complex groups of of... Murdock 's estimate that only some 20 percent of the watercourts indicate the Calusa * / [ 15 ] the. University Museum and survivors from wrecked Spanish ships reached the Calusa tribes to federal recognition by signing Public 98-481... Been the descendants of Palaeo-Indians who inhabited Southwest Florida about 12000 years ago for Instructional Technology, College Education. Mean & quot ; Fierce people & quot ; the area for thousands of years bones scales... Possible that a few months his reflection in water and in southern plantations society who lived on Calusa! In Florida of reasons, Thompson said been suggested that the Calusa: a Stratified society consisting. People & # x27 ; s Hospital areas that scholars use to study the indigenous peoples the... Evidence that the Calusa kingdom had an estimated 20,000 people and ranks among the most politically groups... And was in turn succeeded by another cousin of Carlos, at the did.

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