The two largest native groups were the Timucua and the Calusa. The Spanish documented four cases of known succession to the position of paramount chief, recording most names in Spanish form. The widespread illness and disease caused the tribe to disassemble by the early 18th century. Excavation of the watercourts yielded artifacts like cordage that are not normally preserved at archaeological sites. What happened to these fierce sailing Indians? The Calusa king, or head chief, was an absolute ruler. What formation processes resulted in the complex of mounds and other features there? In 1569, just three years after the Spanish fort was built, the Calusa attacked a Spanish supply ship, prompting more violence. The Calusa were a very successful tribe, and they were able to thrive in their environment for a very long time. [29], Approximate Calusa core area (red) and political domain (blue). Some of the "Spanish Indians" (often of mixed Spanish-Indian heritage) who worked at the fishing camps likely were descended from Calusa. A Spanish expedition to ransom some captives held by the Calusa in 1680 was forced to turn back; neighboring tribes refused to guide the Spanish, for fear of retaliation by the Calusa. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there existcountless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts thathave yet to be discovered and explained. They traded with other Native American tribes in Florida, as well as with people in Mexico and Central America. At Mound Key, the Spaniards used primitive tabby as a mortar to stabilize the posts in the walls of their wooden structures. A diorama of a Calusa chief in the Florida Museum of Natural History. Could we find unequivocal architectural evidence that Mound Key was the Calusa capital town, as had long been suggested? A dozen words for which translations were recorded and 50 or 60 place names form the entire known corpus of the language. By contrast, at an inland site, Platt Island, mammals (primarily deer) accounted for more than 60 percent of the energy from animal meat, while fish provided just under 20 percent. Menndez married Carlos' sister, who took the baptismal name Doa Antonia at conversion. What traditions did the Calusa tribe have? Native Americans enjoyed a wide variety of entertainment in the form of sports, games, music, dance, and festivals. Uniquely, it was powered by fishing, not farming. Tracking the Calusa: A Retrospective. "For a long time, societies that relied on fishing, hunting and gathering were assumed to be less advanced," said Marquardt. And to what extent does the occupational and architectural history speak to broader issues of Calusa complexity? The Calusa also made fish traps, weirs, and fish corrals from wood and cord. Additionally, they had (as their name suggests) a fierce, war-like reputation. Conversion would have destroyed the source of their authority and legitimacy. By the constant invasions of the Creek and other Indian allies of the English, they were driven from the mainland and forced to take refuge on the Florida Keys. [Online]Available at: http://www.sanibelhistory.org/calusa_history.htm. Fontaneda lived with various tribes in southern Florida for the next seventeen years before being found by the Menendez de Avils expedition. The Calusa are said to have been a socially complex and politically powerful tribe, and most of southern Florida was controlled by them. This is still a popular sport today. The Calusa were a Native American tribe that lived hundreds of years ago on the island that is now Mound Key Archaeological State Park. Map of Calusa territory in Florida. Milanich, J. T. (2004). Their dwellings were of wood, built on piles, and their sacred buildings were erected on flat-topped mounds. Their linguistic affiliation is not certain. The Calusa king initially allied himself with Menendez, hoping to gain an advantage over his rivals elsewhere in the Florida peninsula.. In addition, elaborate rituals with synchronized singing and processions of masked priests were also carried out on that occasion. Calusa is an extinct Amerindian language of Florida. Their linguistic affiliation is not certain. The Calusa used wooden dugout canoes to aid them in fishing and for transport. Cultivated gourds were used as net floats, and sinkers and net weights were made from mollusk shells. Radiocarbon dating of carbonized wood, a deer bone and a shell verified the forts mid-16th-century date. Archaeological excavations in southern Italy have yielded a treasure trove of Greek artifacts from the ancient city of Paestum. Typical Women's Work. Although each tribe and region was different, the division of labor between men and women was generally similar across most of the Native American tribes. Exploring Florida: A Social Studies Resource for Students and Teachers Produced by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology, College of Education, University of South Florida 2002. The Calusa were descended from people who had lived in the area for at least 1,000 years prior to European contact, and possibly for much longer than that. MacMahon, Darcie A. and William H. Marquardt. They built their homes on stilts and wove Palmetto leaves to fashion roofs, but they didn't construct any walls. No Zamia pollen has been found at any site associated with the Calusas, nor does Zamia grow in the wetlands that made up most of the Calusa environment. 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. According to some authorities their territory also extended inland as far as Lake Okeechobee. The Calusa were a fishing people. They left 1,700 behind. Commoners supported the nobility and provided them with food and other material necessities. [26], For more than a century after the Avils adventure, there was little contact between the Spanish and Calusa. This lasted until about 1750, and included the historic Calusa people. ( Public Domain ). Many smaller tribes were constantly watching for these marauding warriors. In a report from 1697, the Spanish noted 16 houses in the Calusa capital of Calos, which had 1,000 residents. Even at this early date, they were already noted among the tribes for the golden wealth which they had accumulated from the numerous Spanish wrecks cast away upon the Keys in the passage from the south. In 1711, the Spanish helped evacuate 270 Indians, including many Calusa, from the Florida Keys to Cuba (where almost 200 soon died). The Calusa people were an important tribe of Florida. The Calusa Domain. Native Americans The First Owners of America, Byways & Historic Trails Great Drives in America, Soldiers and Officers in American History. Hostilities erupted, and the Spanish soldiers killed Carlos, his successor Felipe, and several of the "nobles" before they abandoned their fort and mission in 1569. They arrived in seven vessels and climbed to the peak of Mound Key, a 30-foot-high, human-made island of shells and sand, to greet the king. The Spanish were used to dealing with natives who farmed and who provided the Spanish with some of their food. The Calusa were conquered by the Spanish in 1763. The 8th Annual Calusa Heritage Day, which will take place this weekend, will offer an assortment of activities for everyone to enjoy while learning about the Calusa Indians. 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. Researchers have previously hypothesized the watercourts were designed to hold fish, but this was the first attempt to study the structures systematically, including when they were built and how that timing correlates with other Calusa construction projects, Marquardt said. Enemy Indian tribes from Georgia and South Carolina began raiding the Calusa territory. The 2017 excavations were really exciting for a number of reasons, Thompson said. An important tribe of Florida, formerly holding the southwest coast from about Tampa Bay to Cape Sable and Cape Florida, together with all the outlying keys, and extending inland to Lake Okeechobee. A few hundred Calusa people survived and were assimilated into other Native American tribes. Field school students brush sand from a tabby wall that might be the outer wall of Fort San Antn de Carlos. In a feat of organized labor that was also suggestive of their expansive trade network, the Calusa appear to have brought pine wood to the island from elsewhere in Florida to build the dwelling. Corrections? The Calusa made bone and shell gauges that they used in net weaving. In. The archaeologists recovered seeds, wood, palm-fiber cordage that likely came from Calusa fishing nets and even fish scales from the waterlogged levels. The Calusa were a mound-building people. The research team uncovered a network of post holes and foundation trenches that indicate a large structure measuring about 80 feet long and 65 feet wide covered the summit of the islands highest hill. ), Artists conception of Calusa people preparing for fishing in the estuary (Art by Merald Clark. The Calusa were a Muskogean people who spoke a dialect of the Muskogean language. All his subjects had to obey his commands. He was also attacked by the Calusa. By 880, a complex society had developed with high population densities. Spanish admiral Pedro Menndez de Avils (1519-1574) by Francisco de Paula Mart (1762-1827) ( Public Domain ). The Calusa tribe died out in the late 1700s. By interceding with these spirits, it was believed that the chief was ensuring that his people would be well-supplied by the land. Updates? 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. The Tequesta lived in the southeastern parts of present-day Florida. The Spanish careened one of their ships, and Calusas offered to trade with them. Different tribes had different names for the sport including . [2], Juan Rogel, a Jesuit missionary to the Calusa in the late 1560s, noted the chief's name as Carlos, but wrote that the name of the kingdom was Escampaba, with an alternate spelling of Escampaha. The Calusa tribe was first mentioned by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon in 1513. What did the Calusa Indians do for a living? This language was distinct from the languages of the Apalachee, Timucua, Mayaca, and Ais people in central and northern Florida. The Calusa strongly resisted two Spanish mission attemptsone in 1566 and another in 1697and persisted in many . 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. They had the highest population density of South Florida; estimates of total population at the time of European contact range from 10,000 to several times that, but these are speculative. Instead, they fished for food on the coast, bays, rivers, and waterways. Exploring Florida: A Social Studies Resource for Students and Teachers, Florida Center for Instructional Technology. There is an eyewitness account from 1566 of a "king's house" on Mound Key that was large enough for "2,000 people to stand inside. One example of a shell mound can be found at a site known as Mound Key at Estero Bay in Lee County. Cord was also made from cabbage palm leaves, saw palmetto trunks, Spanish moss, false sisal (Agave decipiens) and the bark of cypress and willow trees. You will be redirected to the LC Catalog start page shortly, or continue by clicking the following link: LC Catalog The surviving members of the Calusa tribe either fled to Cuba or joined the Seminole Tribe. The signing will provide an opportunity for the public to meet Joseph, an independent scholar of Florida history, and discuss his novel, which tells of the history of the Calusa Indians, who once took up residence on . [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. [20][21], A few vocabulary examples from Granberry's work are listed below:[22]. 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. These Indians controlled most of south Florida. Tabby was an Old World concrete consisting of lime from burned shells mixed with sand, ash, water and broken shells. The men were responsible for work away from the home, like hunting and raiding. (Art by Merald Clark. Today, the word "Aryan" has become synonymous with all sorts of negative connotations, including theories of racial superiority and white supremacy. Apart from that, shells are said to have been used by the Calusa to make all sorts of things, including tools, jewelry, utensils, and even spearheads for fishing and hunting. According to the documents, the brushwood and lumber fort encompassed some 36 structures. It is likely there are descendants of the Calusa living among the Native American people of Florida and in Cuba today., In terms of Mound Key, much more can be learned about the Spanish fort and mission, the relations between the Calusa and the Spaniards and the earlier, pre-contact occupations of the island, Marquardt said. Why We Should Not Defund The Police Facts, Why Students Should Not Wear Uniforms Facts, Why Is Evolution Taught In Schools As Fact. When Spaniards arrived in southwest Florida in the sixteenth century, they encountered a populous, sedentary, and politically complex society: the Calusa. The Calusa occupied the southwest region, while the Tequesta, Jega, and Ais tribes were located along the east coast of Southern Florida. Their art was heavily influenced by their environment, and many of their creations featured marine motifs. 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. This article first appeared in the magazines fall 2020 issue. When Pedro Menndez de Avils visited in 1566, the Calusa served only fish and oysters to the Spanish. The Tequesta (tuh-KES-tuh) were a small, peaceful, Native American tribe. Theyformerly held the southwest coast from about Tampa Bay to Cape Sable and Cape Florida, together with all the outlying keys, and extending inland to Lake Okeechobee. "Calusa". The first Spanish explorers found that these Indians were not very friendly. The Calusa were also known to sail up and down the west coast salvaging the wealth from shipwrecks. The event will take place at the pavilion located at the Calusa Heritage Trail in Pineland on Thursday, Nov. 20, from 6 to 8 p.m. After suffering decimation by disease, the tribe was destroyed by Creek and Yamasee raiders early in the 18th century. "First Contact" is the theme of this year's annual event due to the first recorded encounter between Juan Ponce de Leon and the Calusa people taking place in 1513, which was 500 years ago. The men and boys of the tribe made nets from palm tree webbing to catch mullet, pinfish, pigfish, and catfish. People began creating fired pottery in Florida by 2000 BC.[3]. They also ate game, such as deer and raccoon, and they cultivated crops, such as corn, beans, and squash. The Calusa knew of the Spanish before this landing, however, as they had taken in Native American refugees from the Spanish subjugation of Cuba. 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. Environmentalists and conservation groups protect many of these remaining shell mounds. AtAncient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. . The Calusa Tribe had a large population and were well-organized. The Calooshahatchee River, which means "River of the Calusa," was their main waterway. Ancient Origins 2013 - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. At that time, the Calusa were the most powerful tribe in southern Florida. As his father, the preceding king, was also known as Carlos, he is sometimes called Carlos II.Carlos ruled over one of the most powerful and prosperous chiefdoms in the region at the time, controlling the coastal areas of southwest . Shell mounds are hills of discarded seashells, which the Calusa created by depositing the shells of marine creatures they had eaten. The population of this tribe may have reached as many as 50,000 people. The chief's house was described as having two big windows, suggesting that it had walls. In 1697 Franciscan missionaries established a mission to the Calusa but left after a few months.[27]. The Shell People. The Calusa people's diet consisted mainly of fish and shellfish from the Gulf of Mexico and its many waterways. The Calusa believed that the three souls were the pupil of a person's eye, his shadow, and his reflection. From several firsthand accounts of south Florida Indians written by Europeans, it is apparent that the Calusa were socially complex and politically powerful. Their estimated population in 1650 was 3,000 living in 50 villages. [7], The Calusa diet at settlements along the coast and estuaries consisted primarily of fish, in particular pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides), pigfish (redmouth grunt), (Orthopristis chrysoptera) and hardhead catfish (Ariopsis felis). Calusa means "fierce people," and they were described as a fierce, war-like people. The other two souls left the body after death and entered into an animal. The chief lived in the main village at the mouth of the Miami River. This page was last edited on 1 April 2023, at 04:02. This was made with clay containing spicules from freshwater sponges (Spongilla), and it first appeared inland in sites around Lake Okeechobee. It has been proposed that as fishing was a less time-consuming means of obtaining food than hunting and gathering, the Calusa were able to devote more time to other pursuits, such as the establishment of a system of government. The Carolinan colonists supplied firearms to the Creek and Yemasee, but the Calusa, who had isolated themselves from Europeans, had none. Calusa, North American Indian tribe that inhabited the southwest coast of Florida from Tampa Bay to Cape Sable and Cape Florida, together with all the outlying keys. The chief is said to have entertained the governor in a building so large that it could hold 2000 people in it. Theirs was a complex society with trade routes spanning hundreds of. Mollusk shells and shark teeth were used for grating, cutting, carving and engraving. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Artifacts such as shell tools, weapons, and ornaments are on display in many Florida history museums. Later periods in the Caloosahatchee culture are defined in the archaeological record by the appearance of pottery from other traditions. They claimed more or less authority also over the tribes of the east coast, north to about Cape Canaveral. All available connections to the LC Catalog are currently in use. However, they would suffer the same fate as many of the other Native American tribes. The Calusa king Caalus, perched high on his throne in his grand house, watched as Pedro Menendez de Aviles, the first governor of La Florida, arrived with his entourage. [Online]Available at: https://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/sflarch/research/calusa-domain/, floridahistory.org, 2016. In an effort to reconnect the community to the waterways, Calusa Waterkeeper, a nonprofit clean water advocacy group, is kicking off the inaugural The Big Calusa, a recreational, educational and cultural family friendly week long festival next week. 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. The Calusa (said to mean fierce people ) are a Native American tribe that once inhabited the southwestern coast of Florida. ( Public Domain ). They practiced human sacrifice of captives, scalped and dismembered their slain enemies, and were repeatedly accused of being cannibals. The Calusa men were tall and well built with long hair. Many smaller tribes were constantly watching for these marauding warriors. 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. The next day, 80 "shielded" canoes attacked the Spanish ships, but the battle was inconclusive. [9] There is also evidence that as early as 2,000 years ago, the Calusa cultivated a gourd of the species Cucurbita pepo and the bottle gourd, which were used for net floats and dippers. The king entertained the governor in a building so large that 2,000 people could stand inside. Archaeologists have excavated many of these mounds to learn more about these . 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. In R. D. Fogelson (Ed.). They built their homes and temples on mounds of earth, which they used to defend themselves against attack. The Calusa remained committed to their belief system despite Spanish attempts to convert them to Catholicism. The leaders included the paramount chief, or "king"; a military leader (capitn general in Spanish); and a chief priest. They used spears to catch eels and turtles. 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 best information about the Calusa comes from the Memoir of Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda, one of these survivors. Although they probably kept small home-gardens, they raised no corn, beans, or manioc. The Calusa were a Native American people who lived in what is now the southern U.S. state of Florida. The Calusa Indians lived in Southwest Florida. Calusa political influence and control also extended over other tribes in southern Florida, including the Mayaimi around Lake Okeechobee, and the Tequesta and Jaega on the southeast coast of the peninsula. [7] The contemporary archeologists MacMahon and Marquardt suggest this statement may have been a misunderstanding of a requirement to marry a "clan-sister". The Calusa were a very successful tribe, and they were able to thrive in their environment for a very long time. It is recorded that in that year, the Calusa chief formed an alliance with the Spanish governor, Menndez de Avils. [28] Cuban fishing camps (ranchos) operated along the southwest Florida coast from the 18th century into the middle of the 19th century. The Calusa were a very advanced tribe. However, their numbers began to decline in the late 1700s, and by the 1800s they were no longer a major force in southern Florida. Calusa Indians. Rituals were believed to link the Calusa to their spirit world (Art by Merald Clark. The men wore their hair long. The Calusa (said to mean fierce people ) are a Native American tribe that once inhabited the southwestern coast of Florida. Escampaba may be related to a place named Stapaba, which was identified in the area on an early 16th-century map. Calusa society developed from that of archaic peoples of the Everglades region. Shells and clay were used by the Calusa to create the foundation of their cities. While there is no evidence that the Calusa had institutionalized slavery, studies show they would use captives for work or even sacrifice. The CalusaPeople of the Estuary. The Calusa Indians were originally called the "Calos" which means "Fierce People". Figuring out how to shore up the walls of wooden buildings using a very early kind of tabby architecture is impressive and represents creative thinking and ingenuity in an unfamiliar and challenging setting, said Marquardt. [4], The Calusa had a stratified society, consisting of "commoners" and "nobles" in Spanish terms. Well take a look at a few such legends, including those among the Choctaw and the Comanches of the United States down to the Manta of Peru. In 1567 the Spaniards established a mission and fortified post among them, but both seem to have been discontinued soon after, although the tribe came later under Spanish influence. 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. Different tribes and regions had their own games and traditions. The first recorded contact between the Calusa and Europeans was in 1513, when Juan Ponce de Len landed on the west coast of Florida in May, probably at the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River, after his earlier discovery of Florida in April. However, no evidence of plant food was found at the Wightman site. (*) denotes earlier century Calusa language records. One of the most notable traditions of the Calusa was their use of shell mounds. The Calusa: "The Shell Indians". Fish bones and scales recovered from one of the watercourts indicate the Calusa were capturing schooling species such as mullet, pinfish and herring. The Calusas were one of the few North American Indian tribes who were ruled by a hereditary king. Granberry has provided an inventory of phonemes to the sounds of the Calusa language.[22][21]. We could not anticipate the extraordinary preservation of organic materials down below the water table, Marquardt noted. They traveled by dugout canoes, which were made from hollowed-out cypress logs approximately 15 feet long. Calusa influence may have also extended to the Ais tribe on the central east coast of Florida. Her story is filled with drama, intrigue, and tragedy, and her influence on the course of English history is undeniable. As had long been suggested fishing nets and even fish scales from the levels. Many smaller tribes were constantly watching for these marauding warriors century Calusa language. [ ]! Calusa Indians do for a very long time Spanish documented four cases of known succession the. Their homes on stilts and wove Palmetto leaves to fashion roofs, but the was... 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Very friendly [ 4 ], the Calusa chief in the main village at the site... Primitive tabby as a mortar to stabilize the posts in the Caloosahatchee culture defined! Was controlled by them 20 ] [ 21 ] southern U.S. State of Florida on mounds of earth which... Having two big windows, suggesting that it had walls their belief system despite Spanish attempts to convert to. These remaining shell mounds, peaceful, Native American tribe Miami River Spanish were used by the....