"Chapter 10. Though eschewing agriculture once. It's one of Florida's most popular destinations for its turquoise coast and laid-back vibe. The Jesuit Menendez noted that in the early hours of the morning, Carlos would sit on a stool with his people around him to discuss the ideas presented by the missionaries. The watercolors illustrate the blue, black, gray, and brownish-red pigments found on many of the wooden specimens. 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. ed. 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. Little is known about Calusa religion. Dominican missionaries reached the Calusa domain in 1549 but withdrew because of the hostility of the tribe. 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. A Calusa /s/ [s] sound is said to range between a /s/ to a // sound. The Calusa believed that their cacique was not only the leader of their tribe, but also their spiritual leader. The Calusa resisted physical encroachment and spiritual conversion by the Spanish and their missionaries for almost 200 years. A variety of carving tools were also recovered. Many of them are trying to do this on the Internet. Archaeological and historical evidence indicates the Calusas primary source of food was the sea, and virtually all evidence suggests they did not practice agriculture. New Moai Statue Found on Chiles Easter Island Excites Researchers. While estimates vary, their population probably numbered between 4,000 and 10,000. Photograph by Amanda Roberts Thompson, courtesy Florida Museum of Natural History The Calusa also famously resisted colonization and conversion. What language did the Calusa speak? These deposits were carefully water-screened using a series of nested screens in order to capture even the finest organic materials. 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. Cushings excavations took place along the coast. ( Public Domain ). 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 . This article first appeared in the magazines fall 2020 issue. [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 chief lived in the main village at the mouth of the Miami River. The shell mounds are an example of these remains. 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. 10 Innovative Medieval Weapons: You Would Not Want To Be At The Sharp End Of These! 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. Marquardt quotes a statement from the 1570s that "the Bay of Carlos in the Indian language is called Escampaba, for the cacique of this town, who afterward called himself Carlos in devotion to the Emperor" (Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor). This class was supported by commoners, who provided them with food and other material goods. Around 1983, Donald found remains (ancient pottery and burial mounds) of Calusa Indians on some of his property, Josslyn Island. Calusa means "fierce people," and they were described as a fierce, war-like people. The Calusa case also illustrates remarkably sophisticated engagements with, and long-term large-scale management of, coastal and estuarine environments.. google_ad_height = 15; Known for their equestrian skills and bravery in battle, they played a crucial role in expanding the empire and establishing its dominance. They built many villages at the mouth of the Miami River and along the coastal islands. The soul in the eye's pupil stayed with the body after death, and the Calusa would consult with that soul at the graveside. However, they would suffer the same fate as many of the other Native American tribes. 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 Tequesta lived in the southeastern parts of present-day Florida. Additionally, it has been suggested that the population of this tribe may have reached 50000 people at one point of time. The Calusa, who had no immunity against such illnesses, were wiped out in large numbers. Ivar the Boneless was likely the son of legendary Viking king Ragnar Lothbrok, and raided alongside his father and brothers, eventually becoming ruler of York in England in the 9th century AD. The Legend of the Calusa Many people believe that the Calusa made a trip to Cuba in their canoes and traded with the Mayans. 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. He had a council which may have included one or more head priests and one or two high-ranking individuals involved in political and religious decision-making. Calusa society developed from that of archaic peoples of the Everglades region. He was also attacked by the Calusa. Their territory was bounded in northwest Florida by the Aucilla and Ochlockonee rivers, and . The Calusa Indians, a poorly understood group of bygone Native Americans D Donna Jean Calusa Indians European Explorers University Of South Florida Gulf Coast Florida Spirit World Mexica South Florida People & Environments: The Calusa Domain: Calusa beliefs included a trinity of governing spirits. Map of Calusa territory in Florida. Fruit and roots were gathered, and deer, bear, and raccoon were probably eaten as well. There were engineers. Historic documents say the Calusa then set fire to Mound Key and fled the island, which also prompted the Spanish to leave. He was aware, however, of the magnitude of his findings: the remains of a highly organized maritime society whose members performed elaborate rituals and whose artists possessed remarkable abilities in wood carving. During the Calusa's reign the Florida coastline extended roughly 60 miles further into the Gulf of Mexico. Soon after the discoveries, Donald funded archaeological mapping of . One is left only to imagine how lifelike these wooden figureheads must have appeared when used on ceremonial occasions. The Calusa knew of the Spanish before this landing, however, as they had taken in Native American refugees from the Spanish subjugation of Cuba. Different tribes and regions had their own games and traditions. Lucy Fowler Williams is Keeper of Collections for the American Section. Calusa beliefs included a trinity of governing spirits. . The plaques and other objects were often painted. The Calusa leader, Calus (called Carlos II by the Spaniards), agrees to accept a Jesuit missionary among his people, but the Calusa refuse to . The Chilling Mystery of the Octavius Ghost Ship, What is a Wendigo? The researchers used ground penetrating radar and LiDAR to locate and map the forts structures, which they then partially excavated. [Online]Available at: http://floridahistory.org/indians.htm, Marquardt, W. H., 2014. They believed that people had three souls-in a person's eye, shadow, and their reflection in the water. 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. 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, Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Calusa&oldid=1140745100, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles using infobox ethnic group with image parameters, Language articles with unreferenced extinction date, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Bullen, Adelaide K. (1965). AtAncient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. Known as the "Shell Indians", the Calusa are . Like the Calusa, the Tequesta were devastated by European diseases. 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.. This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 15:27. 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. 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. Because the Timucua didn't use money, though, a shaman would be given such items as baskets or turkeys. 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 story of the Calusa during the Spanish occupation of La Florida is a complicated one, said Thompson. The Tequesta (tuh-KES-tuh) were a small, peaceful, Native American tribe. Archaeological techniques were not very well defined in Cushings day, and though he took detailed notes of his findings, information on the stratigraphy of the site was not recorded. Since the soft limestone that surrounded them was unfitting for tool and weapon production, they decided to use shells, wood, fish teeth, and bone for tools. Previous indigenous cultures had lived in the area for thousands of years. 4 . In 1954 a dugout canoe was found during excavation for a middle school in Marathon, Florida. Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda, an early chronicler of the Calusa, described "sorcerers in the shape of the devil, with some horns on their heads," who ran through the town yelling like animals for four months at a time. [14], The Calusa lived in large, communal houses which were two stories high. (Cushing was an anthropologist with the Bureau of American Ethnology, and was well known for his pioneering work at Zuni Pueblo.) By interceding with these spirits, it was believed that the chief was ensuring that his people would be well-supplied by the land. When the Spanish arrived in Florida in the early 16 th century, the Calusa were already in possession of a complex centralized government. The Calusa were a Native American tribe that inhabited the southwest coast of Florida. 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. Certain ceremonies were performed to seal the alliance (and perhaps also as a display of the might of the Calusa), and was witnessed by over 4000 people. Rituals were believed to link the Calusa to their spirit world (Art by Merald Clark.) Native American names This was made with clay containing spicules from freshwater sponges (Spongilla), and it first appeared inland in sites around Lake Okeechobee. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2004. Uniquely, it was powered by fishing, not farming. Tamara Jager Stewart is the assistant editor of American Archaelogy and the Conservancys Southwest region projects director. [Online]Available at: http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/calusa/calusa1.htm, Florida Museum of Natural History, 2016. Perhaps a dancer wore the mask and carried the figurehead of the particular animal he was emulating (Cushing 1896). Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda, a Spaniard held captive by the Calusa in the 16th century, recorded that Calusa meant "fierce people" in their language. "Florida Indians of Past and Present", in Carson, Ruby Leach and, Goggin, John M., and William C. Sturtevant. According to these accounts, the Calusa had a head chief named Carlos who lived in Calos and received tribute from surrounding villages. 01 Mar 2023 , 3260 South Street Seeing the work of the Calusa in these materials first-hand were really exciting moments for us.. Many people lived in large villages with purpose-built earthwork mounds, such as those at Horr's Island. Conversion would have destroyed the source of their authority and legitimacy. By the 1700s though, the Tequesta people had disappeared. [Online]Available at: https://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/sflarch/research/calusa-domain/, floridahistory.org, 2016. The Calusa: "The Shell Indians". The chief is said to have entertained the governor in a building so large that it could hold 2000 people in it. In April of that year he made landfall and, calling this new territory La Florida, claimed it for the Spanish Crown. Previous indigenous cultures had lived in the area for thousands of years. Widmer cites George Murdock's estimate that only some 20 percent of the Calusa diet consisted of wild plants that they gathered. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. These Indians were so unfriendly that this was one of the first tribes that Spanish explorers wrote home about in 1513. Their gods were living all around them. Descriptions of the principal town of Calos, probably located on Mound Island in Estero Bay (roughly 50 kms north of Key Marco), were first recorded by Spanish missionaries in 1586. Native American art,