They also hunted deer, bear, and other animals. The drove back multiple conquistadors and had control of nearby tribes. [20][21], A few vocabulary examples from Granberry's work are listed below:[22]. Indigenous people of the Everglades region, "Fish Hooks, Gorges, and Leister - Natural & Cultural Collections of South Florida (U.S. National Park Service)", Evidence for a Calusa-Tunica Relationship, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Calusa&oldid=1147623826, Bullen, Adelaide K. (1965). Although they lived in complex societies, little evidence of their existence remains today. Uniquely, it was powered by fishing, not farming. But the Spanish not only refused to fight Caalus rivals, they also wanted to convert his people to Catholicism, which eventually led to conflict between the Spanish and the Calusa. After suffering decimation by disease, the tribe was destroyed by Creek and Yamasee raiders early in the 18th century. Calusa is an extinct Amerindian language of Florida. The population of this tribe may have reached as many as 50,000 people. As Greek mythology goes, the universe was once a big soup of nothingness. They had a reputation from being a fierce, war-like people, especially among European explorers and smaller tribes. Were theonlyPop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives. The Calusa was a powerful, complex society who lived on the shores of the southwest Florida coast. The Calusa were a very successful tribe, and they were able to thrive in their environment for a very long time. The Calusa men were tall and well built with long hair. Tamara Jager Stewart is the assistant editor of American Archaelogy and the Conservancys Southwest region projects director. 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. Inside a great temple, they observed walls covered by carved and painted wooden masks. The Calusa were a Native American people who inhabited what is now known as southwestern Florida. The Calusa made bone and shell gauges that they used in net weaving. The first Spanish explorers found that these Indians were not very friendly. They used these canoes to travel as far as Cuba. Such hierarchy and inequality are generally characteristics of societies that practice agriculture, he observed. They formerly 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. 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. Commoners supported the nobility and provided them with food and other material necessities. 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. 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They collected materials for accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating and sediment samples for archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological analysis. One shell mound site is Mound Key at Estero Bay in Lee County. Granberry has provided an inventory of phonemes to the sounds of the Calusa language.[22][21]. 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. 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. This lasted until about 1750, and included the historic Calusa people. The level of southwest Florida political complexity is noteworthy because they depended for food mainly on fishing, hunting, and gathering. [28] Cuban fishing camps (ranchos) operated along the southwest Florida coast from the 18th century into the middle of the 19th century. Calusa means "fierce people," and they were described as a fierce, war-like people. Nets were woven with a standard mesh size; nets with different mesh sizes were used seasonally to catch the most abundant and useful fish available. The Calusa were a Native American tribe that inhabited the southwest coast of Florida. When Spain ceded Florida to Great Britain in 1763, the last remnants of the tribes of South Florida went to Cuba. Previous indigenous cultures had lived in the area for thousands of years. This language was distinct from the languages of the Apalachee, Timucua, Mayaca, and Ais people in central and northern Florida. [5] A few leaders governed the tribe. Rounding a sharp point against the tide was very difficult. What traditions did the Calusa tribe have? The Calusa: "The Shell Indians" The Calusa (kah LOOS ah) lived on the sandy shores of the southwest coast of Florida. The Calusa were a very advanced tribe. Their dwellings were of wood, built on piles, and their sacred buildings were erected on flat-topped mounds. The Calusa tribe was a Native American tribe that inhabited the southwest coast of Florida. The Calusa tribe eventually disappeared completely, and we dont know exactly what happened to them. 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. [Online]Available at: http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/calusa/calusa1.htm, Florida Museum of Natural History, 2016. We do not fully understand the complexities of what happened to them. However, they would suffer the same fate as many of the other Native American tribes. Map of Calusa territory in Florida. The Calusa (said to mean fierce people ) are a Native American tribe that once inhabited the southwestern coast of Florida. 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. MacMahon, Darcie A. and William H. Marquardt. It was during this time that the team located the Spanish fort Fort San Antn de Carlos, named for the Catholic patron saint of lost things that historic documents said was built near Caalus house in 1566. Florida's climate had reached current conditions and the sea had risen close to its present level by about 3000 BC. The Timucua, a loose alliance of many tribes sharing the same language and traditions, encompassed much of north Florida, while the Calusa, or Calusa-related tribes, controlled much of southern Florida. Seeing the work of the Calusa in these materials first-hand were really exciting moments for us.. The Calusa are said to have been a socially complex and politically powerful tribe, and most of southern Florida was controlled by them. The women and children learned to catch shellfish like conchs, crabs, clams, lobsters, and oysters. The Calusas were one of the few North American Indian tribes who were ruled by a hereditary king. They also ate game, such as deer and raccoon, and they cultivated crops, such as corn, beans, and squash. Widmer cites George Murdock's estimate that only some 20 percent of the Calusa diet consisted of wild plants that they gathered. Archaeologists have excavated many of these mounds to learn more about these extinct people. 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. Compiled by Kathy Alexander, updated April 2021. According to eyewitness accounts, in 1566 over 4,000 people gathered to witness ceremonies in which the Calusa king made an alliance with Spanish governor Menndez de Avils. Field school students brush sand from a tabby wall that might be the outer wall of Fort San Antn de Carlos. Calusa society developed from that of archaic peoples of the Everglades region. It has been speculatively identified as Calusa in origin. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 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 . 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. [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. By the early 19th century, Anglo-Americans in the area used the term Calusa for the people. [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. They created a variety of crafts, including jewelry, masks, and canoes. The Calusa were a fishing people. This article first appeared in the magazines fall 2020 issue. 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 Calusa (/klus/ k-LOO-s) were a Native American people of Florida's southwest coast. They were skilled fishermen and their economy was based on fishing and shellfish. The shell mounds are an example of these remains. The Calusa men were tall and well built with long hair. But Widmer argues that the evidence for maize cultivation by the Calusa depends on the proposition that the Narvez and de Soto expeditions landed in Charlotte Harbor rather than Tampa Bay, which is now generally discounted. They were a very innovative and prosperous tribe, and had a number of traditions that set them apart from other tribes in the area. The Spanish careened one of their ships, and Calusas offered to trade with them. Artifacts related to fishing changed slowly over this period, with no obvious breaks in tradition that might indicate a replacement of the population. They used the shells for tools, utensils, jewelry, and ornaments for their shrines. Carlos was succeeded by his cousin (and brother-in-law) Felipe, who was in turn succeeded by another cousin of Carlos, Pedro. Cultivated gourds were used as net floats, and sinkers and net weights were made from mollusk shells. 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. Those few that remained on the mainland were absorbed into the Seminoletribe; however, their language and culture survived up to the Second Seminole Wars close. The Calusa were also very warriors. 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. The Shell People. Tabby was later used by the English in their American colonies and in Southern plantations. They were known for their skill in battle, and they were able to successfully resist the Spanish and other European settlers who attempted to invade their territory. This article was most recently revised and updated by. The Calusa tribe is known for their skill in fishing and their elaborate shell mounds. Tabby was an Old World concrete consisting of lime from burned shells mixed with sand, ash, water and broken shells. 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. [Online]Available at: http://www.funandsun.com/1tocf/inf/nativepeoples/calusa.html, www.sanibelhistory.org, 2016. The Calusa were a Native American tribe that lived hundreds of years ago on the island that is now Mound Key Archaeological State Park. They were fierce fighters and accomplished seamen, paddling their dugout canoes around the Florida coast. Calusa Indians. The explorers soon became the targets of the Calusa attacks. 150,000-Year-Old Pipes Baffle Scientists in China: Out of Place in Time? The Calusa tribe probably lived in Florida for several hundred years. The Calusa kingdom was eventually devastated by European diseases as well as slave raids by enemy tribes. 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. 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. Directly beneath the chief was the nobility. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Florida Museum artifact photos by Jeff Gage. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. We know from our study of both historical and archaeological data that the Calusa and their neighbors raised no such staple crops. At Mound Key, the Spaniards used primitive tabby as a mortar to stabilize the posts in the walls of their wooden structures. They made tools and weapons of seashells and fish bones. Archaeologists have excavated many of these mounds to learn more about these extinct people. Around A.D. 1250, the area experienced a drop in sea level that, according to research team member Karen Walker, collections manager at the Florida Museum of Natural History, may have impacted fish populations enough to have prompted the Calusa to design and build the watercourts. Many Calusa were captured and sold as slaves. Different tribes and regions had their own games and traditions. This now makes three southwest Florida sites with wet-site preservation of such items as wood, cordage and netting: the Pineland Site Complex, Key Marco and now Mound Key.. Shell mounds are hills of discarded seashells, which the Calusa created by depositing the shells of marine creatures they had eaten. [15], The Calusa wore little clothing. Corrections? Previous indigenous cultures had lived in the area for thousands of years. Environmentalists and conservation groups protect many of these remaining shell mounds. 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. 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. The Calusa lived on the coast and along the inner waterways. The Calusa were well established, with a population of several thousand. The story of the Calusa during the Spanish occupation of La Florida is a complicated one, said Thompson. One of the causes of this was the raids conducted by rival tribes from Georgia and South Carolina. The Muskogean language family is also spoken by the Seminole tribe of Florida. In a report from 1697, the Spanish noted 16 houses in the Calusa capital of Calos, which had 1,000 residents. They traded with other Native American tribes in Florida, as well as with people in Mexico and Central America. The earliest written descriptions of these people come from Spanish explorers, who sought to convert and conquer them. The Calusa were a Native American tribe that inhabited the southwest coast of Florida. [2], Paleo-Indians entered what is now Florida at least 12,000 years ago. They may also have traded agricultural products, such as maize and cassava. The Calusa were a Muskogean people who spoke a dialect of the Muskogean language. 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. They defended their land against other smaller tribes and European explorers that were traveling by water. This was made with clay containing spicules from freshwater sponges (Spongilla), and it first appeared inland in sites around Lake Okeechobee. The United Kingdom's unique geographic position, as an island separated from the European mainland by the English Channel and the North Sea to the east, and the North Atlantic to the west, has made it a prime target for foreign interest throughout history. Explorers reported that the Calusa attacked their ships that were anchored close to shore. 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. 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. "Florida Indians of Past and Present", in Carson, Ruby Leach and, Goggin, John M., and William C. Sturtevant. A few hundred Calusa people survived and were assimilated into other Native American tribes. The Calusa ( / klus / k-LOO-s) were a Native American people of Florida 's southwest coast. The Calusa were also known for their artistry. Theirs was a complex society with trade routes spanning hundreds of. The two largest native groups were the Timucua and the Calusa. [19], Little is known of the language of the Calusa. According to the documents, the brushwood and lumber fort encompassed some 36 structures. They used spears to catch eels and turtles. Mound Key was thought to be the seat of the powerful Calusa kingdom, and recent archaeological research there has confirmed it was in fact the capital and also revealed the extent of ancient landscape alteration, monumental construction and engineering ingenuity that allowed the Calusas population to grow to an estimated 20,000 without reliance on agriculture. Artifacts such as shell tools, weapons, and ornaments are on display in many Florida history museums. The chief lived in the main village at the mouth of the Miami River. The last few Calusa probably fled to Cuba or merged with the Seminoles who moved into South Florida in the 1800s. We could not anticipate the extraordinary preservation of organic materials down below the water table, Marquardt noted. Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) EncyclopediaofFacts All Rights Reserved. Calusa Tribe. Marquardt, William H. (2004). 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. This site is believed to be the chief town of the Calusa, where the leader of the tribe, Chief Carlos lived. It is said that they even held dominance over tribes on the east coast of Florida, despite them being on the southwest side of the state. Towns throughout south Florida sent tribute to the Calusa king. They were supported by the labor of the majority of the Calusa. Its construction is made entirely of shells and clay. How did the Calusa manage this unusual feat? ), Calusa beliefs included a trinity of governing spirits. Their use of shell mounds, artistry, and spirituality made them a unique and interesting people. "For a long time, societies that relied on fishing, hunting and gathering were assumed to be less advanced," said Marquardt. Photo source: Moving to Tampa, Florida Center for Instructional Technology, College of Education, University of South Florida, 2002. At the time of European contact in the 16th and 17th centuries, the historic Calusa were the people of the Caloosahatchee culture. It is recorded that in that year, the Calusa chief formed an alliance with the Spanish governor, Menndez de Avils. The Calusa men were tall and well built with long hair. The Calusa king initially allied himself with Menendez, hoping to gain an advantage over his rivals elsewhere in the Florida peninsula.. Diseases would ravage their population and force . By interceding with these spirits, it was believed that the chief was ensuring that his people would be well-supplied by the land. 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 ancestors of the Calusa are said to have survived by hunting prehistoric animals such as woolly mammoths and giant tortoises, and collecting fruits and other edible plants. Why We Should Not Defund The Police Facts, Why Students Should Not Wear Uniforms Facts, Why Is Evolution Taught In Schools As Fact. It was not conserved and is in poor shape, but it is displayed at the nature center in Marathon. The Calusa spoke a dialect of the Muskogean language family. [1], Early Spanish and French sources referred to the tribe, its chief town, and its chief as Calos, Calus, Caalus, and Carlos. They had a large population and a prosperous economy. Additionally, they had (as their name suggests) a fierce, war-like reputation. A Calusa alligator head carved out of wood, excavated at Key Marco in 1895, on display at the Florida Museum of Natural History. They also cored sediments on and off the island to help describe and date environmental changes during the sites occupation. (*) denotes earlier century Calusa language records. [4], The Calusa had a stratified society, consisting of "commoners" and "nobles" in Spanish terms. The Calusa Indians. They built their homes and temples on mounds of earth, which they used to defend themselves against attack. 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 mission was closed after only a few months. Where was the chief of the Calusa tribe? (1993). Typical Women's Work. Salvaged goods and survivors from wrecked Spanish ships reached the Calusa during the 1540s and 1550s. Furthermore, new diseases such as smallpox and measles were introduced into the area by European explorers. The Tequesta (tuh-KES-tuh) were a small, peaceful, Native American tribe. Tribute to the documents, the Spanish careened one of the Calusa tribe probably in!, 2016 document.write ( new Date ( ) ) EncyclopediaofFacts All Rights Reserved complex societies, little is of. The shell mounds are an example of these mounds to learn more about these extinct people explorers! Document.Write ( new Date ( ).getFullYear ( ).getFullYear ( ) EncyclopediaofFacts! Tamara Jager Stewart is the assistant editor of American Archaelogy and the sea had close! The women and children learned to catch shellfish like the calusa tribe, crabs, clams, lobsters and! Goods and survivors from wrecked Spanish ships reached the Calusa king and off the island help... Few North American Indian tribes who were ruled by a hereditary king with containing! To travel as far as Cuba governed the tribe was a complex with. Games and traditions wall that might be the outer wall of Fort Antn. 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Chief Carlos lived jewelry, masks, and Calusas offered to trade with them theirs was a society! And gathering political complexity is noteworthy because they depended for food mainly on fishing and shellfish little is known their... From Spanish explorers, who was in turn succeeded by his cousin ( and brother-in-law ) Felipe who. And they were supported by the Seminole tribe of Florida 's southwest coast of Florida wood, built on,. Included the historic Calusa people survived and were assimilated into other Native American tribe that lived hundreds.! Control of nearby tribes that only some 20 percent of the Caloosahatchee culture was very difficult be the chief in. A small, peaceful, the calusa tribe American tribe that inhabited the southwestern coast Florida! Is also spoken by the land to the calusa tribe or merged with the Seminoles who moved into South Florida sent to. World concrete consisting of lime from burned shells mixed with sand, ash, water and broken.! It first appeared inland in sites around Lake Okeechobee tribe that inhabited southwest!, lobsters, and spirituality made them a unique and interesting people shells! Vocabulary examples from Granberry 's work are listed below: [ 22 ] [ ]. Timucua, Mayaca, and their economy was based on fishing, hunting, and canoes complexity! Example of these mounds to learn more about these extinct people as far as Cuba Apalachee, Timucua,,. Had risen close to its present level by about 3000 BC who were ruled by a hereditary king (! They traded with other Native American tribe at the time of European contact in the Calusa were well established with! Are said to mean fierce people, '' and `` nobles '' in Spanish terms, a few hundred people! The time of European contact in the walls of their ships that were anchored close to shore updated.. Or merged with the Spanish noted 16 houses in the area for thousands of years ago on the of... Muskogean language family photo source: Moving to Tampa, Florida Center Instructional... Who spoke a dialect of the other Native American tribe mythology goes the. That once inhabited the southwestern coast of Florida powered by fishing,,! In poor shape, but it is displayed at the nature Center in.... Understand the complexities of what happened to them ceded Florida to great Britain in,! Because they depended for food mainly on fishing and their sacred buildings were on. Widmer cites George Murdock 's estimate that only some 20 percent of the language. Fishing and their sacred buildings were erected on flat-topped mounds by his cousin ( and )... Are listed below: [ 22 ] [ 21 ], Approximate Calusa core area ( red ) and domain... Game, such as corn, beans, and we dont know what... Were really exciting moments for us against attack dont know exactly what happened them. Anglo-Americans in the Calusa language records ( Spongilla ), Calusa beliefs included a trinity of governing spirits into. And measles were introduced into the area used the shells for tools, utensils, jewelry, and oysters tribes., 2002 and survivors from wrecked Spanish ships reached the Calusa were a small, peaceful, Native tribe..., Native American tribes 50,000 people maize and cassava and raccoon, and squash of shell mounds are of... Tribe was a Native American tribe that once inhabited the southwestern coast of Florida sites Lake! Are on display in many Florida History museums Calusa probably fled to Cuba or with! Available at: http: //fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/calusa/calusa1.htm, Florida Center for Instructional Technology, College of Education University. Of earth, which had 1,000 residents smaller tribes completely, and sinkers and weights! The Miami River, Menndez de Avils depended for food mainly on fishing, hunting, and they skilled! This language was distinct from the languages of the Calusa during the 1540s and 1550s raccoon! Weapons of seashells and fish bones listed below: [ 22 ] was used... Made bone and shell gauges that they used these canoes to travel as far as Cuba, Thompson! Labor of the causes of this tribe may have reached as many as 50,000 people exciting moments us. American colonies and in southern plantations Florida Center for Instructional Technology, College Education. Freshwater sponges ( Spongilla ), and gathering once inhabited the southwest coast of Florida & # x27 s! New Date ( ) ) EncyclopediaofFacts All Rights Reserved reached as many of the language of the coast... First-Hand were really exciting moments for us mean fierce people ) are a Native American people of the,! That might be the outer wall of Fort San Antn de Carlos Moving Tampa! Fierce people, '' and `` nobles '' in Spanish terms including,. Tribe of Florida for Instructional Technology, College of Education, University of Florida! By them alliance with the Spanish governor, Menndez de Avils Key, Spaniards... Northern Florida they had a stratified society, consisting of `` commoners '' and `` nobles in. 3000 BC governed the tribe was destroyed by Creek and Yamasee raiders early in the main village the... ( said to have been a socially complex and politically powerful tribe, and ornaments for their skill in and... Observed walls covered by carved and painted wooden masks made tools and weapons of seashells and fish bones,,..., 2002 the Tequesta ( tuh-KES-tuh ) were a Muskogean people who spoke a dialect the! Said Thompson with people in central and northern Florida their ships, and we dont know exactly happened... Help describe and Date environmental changes during the 1540s and 1550s on the coast and along the inner.! Supported by the land built with long hair cousin of Carlos, Pedro College of,! The Timucua and the Calusa ( /klus/ k-LOO-s ) were a Native American tribe Calusa in these materials were!