the calusa tribethe calusa tribe

The Calusa lived on the coast and along the inner waterways. The women were responsible for work around the house, like cooking and raising the children. He struck an uneasy peace with their leader Caluus, or Carlos. 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. This is still a popular sport today. One of the most notable traditions of the Calusa was their use of shell mounds. Credit: Florida Museum of Natural History ). 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. Beginning roughly 2,000 years ago, the Calusa enjoyed centuries of dominance as the undisputed rulers of southwest Florida. [1], Early Spanish and French sources referred to the tribe, its chief town, and its chief as Calos, Calus, Caalus, and Carlos. The Calusa were eventually decimated by European diseases, and by the late 18th century they were a largely extinct people. Other tribes farmed the land in their territories, but the Calusa tribe fished along coastal waters. [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 people's diet consisted mainly of fish and shellfish from the Gulf of Mexico and its many waterways. They made fish bone arrowheads to hunt for animals such as deer. Known as the first shell collectors, the Calusa used shells as tools, utensils, building materials, vessels for domestic and ceremonial use and for personal adornment. At some point of time in their history, this tribe discovered that there was a wealth of fish in the waters, and began to exploit this resource. The Spanish A research project has finally solved an archaeological mystery in America . C enturies before countries such as the United Arab Emirates and China started building islands, the Calusa Indians living in southwest Florida were piling shells into massive heaps to construct their own water-bound towns.. One island in particular, Mound Key, was the capital of the Calusa kingdom when Spanish explorers first set foot in the area. These massive, rectangular structures built of shell and sediment enclose large areas on both sides of the mouth of Mound Keys great canal, a marine highway nearly 2,000 feet long and about 100 feet wide that bisects the island. Her story is filled with drama, intrigue, and tragedy, and her influence on the course of English history is undeniable. One illustration of the sophistication of the Calusa can be found in eyewitness accounts of an event in 1566. Cultivated gourds were used as net floats, and sinkers and net weights were made from mollusk shells. Many Calusa were captured and sold as slaves. After each meal, these shells were put to good use as building material and tools. People began creating fired pottery in Florida by 2000 BC.[3]. Additionally, it has been pointed out that tribute was sent to this chief from other tribes in south Florida. They traveled by dugout canoes, which were made from hollowed-out cypress logs approximately 15 feet long. When the chief formally received Menndez in his house, the chief sat on a raised seat surrounded by 500 of his principal men, while his sister-wife sat on another raised seat surrounded by 500 women. Image by Pat Payne for American Archaeology. Explorers reported that the Calusa attacked their ships that were anchored close to shore. One of the most important ceremonies was the Green Corn Dance, which was held to celebrate the harvest. Compiled by Kathy Alexander, updated April 2021. Although the Calusa tribe was once extremely powerful (defeating the Spanish on numerous occasions) and technologically advanced (building canals . [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. When the Spanish arrived in Florida in the early 16 th century, the Calusa were already in possession of a complex centralized government. Exploring Florida: A Social Studies Resource for Students and Teachers, Florida Center for Instructional Technology. [Online]Available at: http://www.calusalandtrust.org/who_were_the_calusa/who_were_the_calusa.htm, Ripley, K., 2016. 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 "nobles" resisted conversion in part because their power and position were intimately tied to the belief system; they were intermediaries between the gods and the people. They first encountered Europeans in 1513 when, with a fleet of 80 canoes, they boldly attacked Ponce de Len, who was about to land on their coast, and after an all-day fight compelled their enemy to withdraw. Escampaba may be related to a place named Stapaba, which was identified in the area on an early 16th-century map. Slaves occupy the lowest level in Calusa society. Diseases would ravage their population and force . The Calusa also journeyed to Cuba and other Caribbean islands, trading in fish, skins, and amber. The Franciscans established a mission there in the late 17th century, but the Calusa evicted them after a few months time. Florida Museum artifact photos by Jeff Gage. The Calusa spoke a dialect of the Muskogean language family. The researchers used ground penetrating radar and LiDAR to locate and map the forts structures, which they then partially excavated. Tabby was an Old World concrete consisting of lime from burned shells mixed with sand, ash, water and broken shells. About this time, they numbered nearly 50 villages, from one of which the city of Tampa takes its name. Calusa Indians. They used these canoes to travel as far as Cuba. Historical documents indicate that by the mid-1700s, the dwindling Calusa population had fled to Cuba, or the Florida Keys. 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The first Spanish explorers found that these Indians were not very friendly. They also hunted deer, bear, and other animals. The Calusa were well established, with a population of several thousand. 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. They collected materials for accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating and sediment samples for archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological analysis. [8], The Calusa caught most of their fish with nets. Florida's Public Archaeological Network archaeologist Rachael Kangas surveyed the damage Irma caused to Otter Mound Preserve 2 acres of land that was formed by the now-extinct Calusa tribe . One shell mound site is Mound Key at Estero Bay in Lee County. Honestly, we have explored a very small sample of Mound Key and other nearby island sites., ln the next couple of years, Thompson added, Id like to return to Mound Key to look more closely at the fort and its structures to really delve into Calusa-Spanish interactions.. [26], For more than a century after the Avils adventure, there was little contact between the Spanish and Calusa. The Calusa tribe died out in the late 1700s. Dominican missionaries reached the Calusa domain in 1549 but withdrew because of the hostility of the tribe. "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. This site is believed to have been the capital of the Calusa, as well as its military stronghold and ceremonial center. The Calusa Indians were originally called the "Calos" which means "Fierce People". A team has uncovered the foundations of a large dwelling and this is Several Native American tribes have passed down legends of a race of white giants who were wiped out. Today, the word "Aryan" has become synonymous with all sorts of negative connotations, including theories of racial superiority and white supremacy. Their dwellings were of wood, built on piles, and their sacred buildings were erected on flat-topped mounds. They created a variety of crafts, including jewelry, masks, and canoes. The Calusa relied more on the sea than on agriculture for their livelihood. Florida of the Indians. Pottery distinct from the Glades tradition developed in the region around AD 500, marking the beginning of the Caloosahatchee culture. The first people to live on the island were the Calusa Native Americans, who were known as a fierce people. Although they probably kept small home-gardens, they raised no corn, beans, or manioc. 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. They determined that the enclosures, which were built on a foundation of oyster shells, walled off portions of the estuary, serving as traps and short-term holding pens for fish before they were eaten, smoked, or dried for later consumption. Rituals were believed to link the Calusa to their spirit world ( Art by Merald Clark. Such hierarchy and inequality are generally characteristics of societies that practice agriculture, he observed. One example of a shell mound can be found at a site known as Mound Key at Estero Bay in Lee County. Prior surface surveys had revealed Spanish ceramics, beads and other artifacts, but the location of the fort hadnt been determined. While there is no evidence that the Calusa had institutionalized slavery, studies show they would use captives for work or even sacrifice. 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. The Calusa were conquered by the Spanish in 1763. At Mound Key, the Spaniards used primitive tabby as a mortar to stabilize the posts in the walls of their wooden structures. Mollusk shells and shark teeth were used for grating, cutting, carving and engraving. (*) denotes earlier century Calusa language records. Why We Should Not Defund The Police Facts, Why Students Should Not Wear Uniforms Facts, Why Is Evolution Taught In Schools As Fact. Calusa Tribe. This lasted until about 1750, and included the historic Calusa people. The Calusa strongly resisted two Spanish mission attemptsone in 1566 and another in 1697and persisted in many . Senquene succeeded his brother (name unknown), and was in turn succeeded by his son Carlos. Updates? In his second voyage, Ponce de Leon received a poisoned arrow that hounded his tight and he died in Cuba the same year in 1521.His decease is attributed to Calusa people. Could we find unequivocal architectural evidence that Mound Key was the Calusa capital town, as had long been suggested? There is evidence that the people intensively exploited Charlotte Harbor aquatic resources before 3500 BC. One of the causes of this was the raids conducted by rival tribes from Georgia and South Carolina. The Calusa were also known for their art, which is characterized by its intricate designs. Milanich, J. T. (2004). The Calusa wove nets from palm-fiber cord. Calusa society developed from that of archaic peoples of the Everglades region. These Indians controlled most of south Florida. When the Spanish explored the coast of Florida, they soon became the targets of the Calusa, and this tribe is said to have been the first one that the explorers wrote home about. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The population of this tribe may have reached as many as 50,000 people. Many Calusa are said to have been captured and sold as slaves. [13][11] Artifacts of wood that have been found include bowls, ear ornaments, masks, plaques, "ornamental standards", and a finely carved deer head. 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. They had a very rich culture, and they were known for their elaborate ceremonies and artwork. Radiocarbon dating of carbonized wood, a deer bone and a shell verified the forts mid-16th-century date. The Calusa resisted physical encroachment and spiritual conversion by the Spanish and their missionaries for almost 200 years. Environmentalists and conservation groups protect many of these remaining shell mounds. They were a very innovative and prosperous tribe, and had a number of traditions that set them apart from other tribes in the area. They were one of the first tribes in South Florida and they settled near Biscayne Bay in the present-day Miami area. The 2017 excavations were really exciting for a number of reasons, Thompson said. The CalusaPeople of the Estuary. They were skilled fishermen and their economy was based on fishing and shellfish. During Menndez de Avils's visit in 1566, the chief's wife was described as wearing pearls, precious stones and gold beads around her neck. They may also have traded agricultural products, such as maize and cassava. 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. [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). The men of the Calusa are recorded to have been powerfully built, and let their hair grow long. South Florida Archaeology and Ethnography, South Florida Archaeology & Ethnography Collection. In addition, diseases such as smallpox and measles were brought into the area from the Spanish and French explorers and these diseases wiped out entire villages. It was not conserved and is in poor shape, but it is displayed at the nature center in Marathon. The Calusa Indians did not farm like the other Indian tribes in Florida. The Calusa were a mound-building people. Later periods in the Caloosahatchee culture are defined in the archaeological record by the appearance of pottery from other traditions. A diorama of a Calusa chief in the Florida Museum of Natural History. Map of Calusa territory in Florida. 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. The Calusa were a Native American people who lived in what is now the southern U.S. state of Florida. Calusa influence extended over most of south Florida in the sixteenth century. The fort was obviously a massive presence on Mound Key, both in scale and as an example of European culture, but it appears that native food procurement, living arrangements and much of Calusa daily life continued with only minimal changes, said archaeologist Traci Ardren of the University of Miami, who was not involved with the teams work. A number of smaller groups called the Tampa Bay area home. [17], The Calusa believed that three supernatural people ruled the world, that people had three souls, and that souls migrated to animals after death. Southeastern Archaeology, 33(1), 124. 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. [24][25], In 1566 Pedro Menndez de Avils, founder of St. Augustine, made contact with the Calusa. The Calusa (said to mean fierce people) are a Native American tribe that once inhabited the southwestern coast of Florida. In R. D. Fogelson (Ed.). (1993). The Calusa also made fish traps, weirs, and fish corrals from wood and cord. The event will be held . Historic documents say the Calusa then set fire to Mound Key and fled the island, which also prompted the Spanish to leave. Photo source: Moving to Tampa, Florida Center for Instructional Technology, College of Education, University of South Florida, 2002. They were also a very skilled traders and fishermen, and were able to exploit the natural resources of the region to their advantage. However, they would suffer the same fate as many of the other Native American tribes. 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 made tools and weapons of seashells and fish bones. 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. They also claimed authority over the tribes of the east coast, north to about Cape Canaveral. Known as the first shell collectors, the Calusa used shells as tools, utensils, building materials, vessels for domestic and ceremonial use and for personal adornment. A reconstruction of a Calusa home and terraces, on display at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The Calusa people were an important tribe of Florida. The Calusa kingdom had an estimated 20,000 people and ranks among the most politically complex groups of hunter-gatherers of the historic world. The Calusa are said to have been the descendants of Palaeo-Indians who inhabited Southwest Florida about 12000 years ago. By around 5000 BC, people started living in villages near wetlands. Although they lived in complex societies, little evidence of their existence remains today. The leaders included the paramount chief, or "king"; a military leader (capitn general in Spanish); and a chief priest. (Public Domain ). 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. 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. The Calusa kingdom was eventually devastated by European diseases as well as slave raids by enemy tribes. Mansa Musa, the ruler of the Mali Empire in the 14th century, is believed to be the wealthiest person in history, with a net worth of $400 billion in today's dollars. Archaeologists have excavated many of these mounds to learn more about these extinct people. Beltane is an ancient Gaelic festival celebrating the beginning of summer and the renewal of life. Florida's climate had reached current conditions and the sea had risen close to its present level by about 3000 BC. [Online]Available at: https://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/sflarch/research/calusa-domain/, floridahistory.org, 2016. When Spain ceded Florida to Great Britain in 1763, the last remnants of the tribes of South Florida went to Cuba. By the early 1600s the Calusa returned to Mound Key and reestablished their capital. [Online]Available at: http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/calusa/calusa1.htm, Florida Museum of Natural History, 2016. 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 Calusa king had the power of life and death over his subjects and was thought by them to be able to intercede with the spirits that sustained the environment's bounty. The Calusa Indians traveled in 15-foot dug out canoes. They were descendants of Paleo-Indians who inhabited Southwest Florida approximately 12,000 years ago. 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