The Calusa also journeyed to Cuba and other Caribbean islands, trading in fish, skins, and amber. The other two souls left the body after death and entered into an animal. 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). The archaeologists were surprised to discover the Spanish used a primitive shell concrete known as tabby to stabilize the wall posts of their wooden structures. 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. Later periods in the Caloosahatchee culture are defined in the archaeological record by the appearance of pottery from other traditions. Archaeologists have excavated many of these mounds to learn more about these extinct people. 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. ( Public Domain ). The population of this tribe may have reached as many as 50,000 people. For me, the work has been absolutely fantastic and since we began it has been one discovery after another, said Thompson. Fontaneda lived with various tribes in southern Florida for the next seventeen years before being found by the Menendez de Avils expedition. The Calusa (said to mean fierce people ) are a Native American tribe that once inhabited the southwestern coast of Florida. 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. 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. Calusa is an extinct Amerindian language of Florida. Updates? 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. The Calusa were a mound-building people, who constructed large, artificial mounds of earth and shells. The Calusa were also known for their artistry. 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. Instead, they fished for food on the coast, bays, rivers, and waterways. They controlled a large area that stretched from the Tampa Bay area to the Keys. 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. The Calusa painted their bodies on a regular basis, but there was no report of tattooing among them. However, we can make some estimates based on what we know about their culture and the environment in which they lived. The Tequesta (tuh-KES-tuh) were a small, peaceful, Native American tribe. In their early period there is evidence of sacrifice of captives and of cannibalism. 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. 150,000-Year-Old Pipes Baffle Scientists in China: Out of Place in Time? 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. They had a complex religion that included rituals and ceremonies. 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. 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. Instead, they fished for food on the coast, bays, rivers, and waterways. These Indians were prodigious excavators who cut canals like the 'long cut' and 'short cut' at the south end of Pine Island. The Calusa wove nets from palm-fiber cord. Towns throughout south Florida sent tribute to the Calusa king. [24][25], In 1566 Pedro Menndez de Avils, founder of St. Augustine, made contact with the Calusa. Shell spears were made for fishing and hunting. They made a type of flatbread called tortillas, which they ate with their meals. Julian Granberry has suggested that the Calusa language was related to the Tunica language of the lower Mississippi River Valley. Engineering the courts required an intimate understanding of daily and seasonal tides, hydrology and the biology of various fish species, said Thompson. They were experts in fishing, and they also grew crops and raised animals. One shell mound site is Mound Key at Estero Bay in Lee County. [20][21], A few vocabulary examples from Granberry's work are listed below:[22]. When Spain ceded Florida to Great Britain in 1763, the last remnants of the tribes of South Florida went to Cuba. The soul in the eye's pupil stayed with the body after death, and the Calusa would consult with that soul at the graveside. Living and surviving on the coast caused the tribesmen to become great sailors. [8], The Calusa caught most of their fish with nets. (*) denotes earlier century Calusa language records. The Calusa was a powerful, complex society who lived on the shores of the southwest Florida coast. 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. Salvaged goods and survivors from wrecked Spanish ships reached the Calusa during the 1540s and 1550s. The Macuahuitl was an ancient Aztec weapon that could be used by both shamans and warriors. Calusa Tribe. Some research indicates that they may have immigrated to Cuba during the 18th century as a result of recurring invasions by the Creek and the English, while other work suggests they may have joined the Seminole, who moved into Florida early in the 19th century and were later removed to Oklahoma. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. However, they would suffer the same fate as many of the other Native American tribes. No records of the language remain other than a few place names in Florida, so it is unknown which language family Calusa might have belonged to. 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. Commoners supported the nobility and provided them with food and other material necessities. Although many others survived the shipwreck, only Fontaneda was spared by the tribe in whose territory they landed. The process of shaping the boat was achieved by burning the middle and subsequently chopping and removing the charred center, using robust shell tools. Different tribes had different names for the sport including . In. Carlos was succeeded by his cousin (and brother-in-law) Felipe, who was in turn succeeded by another cousin of Carlos, Pedro. The Calusa are said to have been the descendants of Palaeo-Indians who inhabited Southwest Florida about 12000 years ago. Today, the word "Aryan" has become synonymous with all sorts of negative connotations, including theories of racial superiority and white supremacy. When the Spanish arrived in Florida in the early 16 th century, the Calusa were already in possession of a complex centralized government. [2], Paleo-Indians entered what is now Florida at least 12,000 years ago. The Calusa relied more on the sea than on agriculture for their livelihood. Escampaba may be related to a place named Stapaba, which was identified in the area on an early 16th-century map. Five friars who stayed in the chief's house in 1697 complained that the roof let in the rain, sun and dew. They were a very innovative and prosperous tribe, and had a number of traditions that set them apart from other tribes in the area. Supported in part by a grant from National . The Calusa are said to have been a socially complex and politically powerful tribe, and most of southern Florida was controlled by them. This site is believed to be the chief town of the Calusa, where the leader of the tribe, Chief Carlos lived. Florida of the Indians. 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. However, it is likely that they were eventually assimilated into other tribes in the area. The Calusa people were an important tribe of Florida. The Calusa were more powerful in number . They also claimed authority over the tribes of the east coast, north to about Cape Canaveral. The Calusa tribe died out in the late 1700s. 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. A few hundred Calusa people survived and were assimilated into other Native American tribes. Rituals were believed to link the Calusa to their spirit world (Art by Merald Clark. They were the largest and most powerful tribe in Florida at the time of first contact with Europeans. 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. This article was most recently revised and updated by. [7] The contemporary archeologists MacMahon and Marquardt suggest this statement may have been a misunderstanding of a requirement to marry a "clan-sister". [1], Early Spanish and French sources referred to the tribe, its chief town, and its chief as Calos, Calus, Caalus, and Carlos. They used these mounds as a form of architecture, constructing their homes and temples on top of them. They used spears to catch eels and turtles. A Calusa /s/ [s] sound is said to range between a /s/ to a // sound. [17], The Calusa believed that three supernatural people ruled the world, that people had three souls, and that souls migrated to animals after death. Commoners supported the nobility and provided them with food and other material necessities. What formation processes resulted in the complex of mounds and other features there? "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 Shell People. The Calusa people were an important tribe of Florida. The Calusa Indians were originally called the "Calos" which means "Fierce People". These deposits were carefully water-screened using a series of nested screens in order to capture even the finest organic materials. The Calusa were a trading people. The Calusas were one of the few North American Indian tribes who were ruled by a hereditary king. Calusa society developed from that of archaic peoples of the Everglades region. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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. Shell mounds can still be found today in many parts of southern Florida. They had a large population and a prosperous economy. After the outbreak of war between Spain and England in 1702, slaving raids by Uchise Creek and Yamasee Indians allied with the Province of Carolina began reaching far down the Florida peninsula. [15], The Calusa wore little clothing. Please try again in a few minutes. Among most tribes in Florida for which there is documentation, the women wore skirts made of what was later called Spanish moss. The Spanish A research project has finally solved an archaeological mystery in America . Then, two things happened: either Chaos or Gaia created the universe as we know it, or Ouranos and Tethys gave birth to the first beings. The Calusa were a mound-building people. One illustration of the sophistication of the Calusa can be found in eyewitness accounts of an event in 1566. By around 5000 BC, people started living in villages near wetlands. Compiled by Kathy Alexander, updated April 2021. Archaeological excavations in southern Italy have yielded a treasure trove of Greek artifacts from the ancient city of Paestum. Different tribes and regions had their own games and traditions. This site is believed to have been the capital of the Calusa, as well as its military stronghold and ceremonial center. In addition, elaborate rituals with synchronized singing and processions of masked priests were also carried out on that occasion. Because of their reliance on shellfish, they accumulated large shell middens during this period. The Calusa were a matrilineal society, with power and status passing through the female line. The next day, 80 "shielded" canoes attacked the Spanish ships, but the battle was inconclusive. Southeastern Archaeology, 33(1), 124. By the early 1600s the Calusa returned to Mound Key and reestablished their capital. The Calusa are said to have been a socially complex and politically powerful tribe, and most of southern Florida was controlled by them. The Calusa (said to mean fierce people ) are a Native American tribe that once inhabited the southwestern coast of Florida. Were theonlyPop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives. Granberry has provided an inventory of phonemes to the sounds of the Calusa language.[22][21]. ( Public Domain ). 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 Calusa were a Native American tribe that inhabited the southwest coast of Florida. This page was last edited on 1 April 2023, at 04:02. 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). The Calusa strongly resisted two Spanish mission attemptsone in 1566 and another in 1697and persisted in many . 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. They traveled by dugout canoes, which were made from hollowed-out cypress logs approximately 15 feet long. The Calusa remained committed to their belief system despite Spanish attempts to convert them to Catholicism. Additionally, they had (as their name suggests) a fierce, war-like reputation. Two centuries later, they were regarded as veritable pirates, plundering and killing without mercy the crews of all vessels, excepting the Spanish, so unfortunate as to be stranded in their neighborhood. When Spaniards arrived in southwest Florida in the sixteenth century, they encountered a populous, sedentary, and politically complex society: the Calusa. 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The capital of the Calusa, and where the rulers administered from, was Mound Key, near present day Estero, Florida. They built canals and fish traps to help them catch fish. The Big Calusa Festival is an ambitious creation to get the community out for a fun week of recreation, culture and cleanup, organizers sai. 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. 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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. The researchers used ground penetrating radar and LiDAR to locate and map the forts structures, which they then partially excavated. 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. At the top of the hierarchy was the chief, who had control over the life and death of his subjects, and was believed to have the ability to communicate with the spirits. 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. This change may have resulted from the people's migration from the interior to the coastal region, or may reflect trade and cultural influences. The Calusa also made fish traps, weirs, and fish corrals from wood and cord. Spanish admiral Pedro Menndez de Avils (1519-1574) by Francisco de Paula Mart (1762-1827) ( Public Domain ). [Online]Available at: http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/calusa/calusa1.htm, Florida Museum of Natural History, 2016. . At the time of first European contact, the Caloosahatchee culture region formed the core of the Calusa domain. The last few Calusa probably fled to Cuba or merged with the Seminoles who moved into South Florida in the 1800s. By interceding with these spirits, it was believed that the chief was ensuring that his people would be well-supplied by the land. 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. 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. 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. 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. When Pedro Menndez de Avils visited in 1566, the Calusa served only fish and oysters to the Spanish. 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. The Calusa Indians. The Calusa were a Native American people who inhabited what is now known as southwestern Florida. Marquardt, Thompson and other University of Georgia colleagues and students began fieldwork at Mound Key in 2013, funded by the National Geographic Society. Rituals were believed to link the Calusa to their spirit world ( Art by Merald Clark. They traded with other Native American tribes in Florida, as well as with people in Mexico and Central America. It was during this phase of research that the team located and documented the massive kings house, showing it was indeed every bit as impressive as Spanish accounts, which claimed it was large enough to accommodate some 2,000 people. [13][11] Artifacts of wood that have been found include bowls, ear ornaments, masks, plaques, "ornamental standards", and a finely carved deer head. The story of the Calusa during the Spanish occupation of La Florida is a complicated one, said Thompson. Widmer cites George Murdock's estimate that only some 20 percent of the Calusa diet consisted of wild plants that they gathered. The Calusa: "The Shell Indians" The Calusa (kah LOOS ah) lived on the sandy shores of the southwest coast of Florida. However, their culture and influence has been felt long after their disappearance, and the name Calusa is still used to refer to the Native American people who live in the region today. More were evacuated to Cuba, where many of them died. The best information about the Calusa comes from the Memoir of Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda, one of these survivors. The Calusa Indians did not farm like the other Indian tribes in Florida. Although they lived in complex societies, little evidence of their existence remains today. A dozen words for which translations were recorded and 50 or 60 place names form the entire known corpus of the language. Fish bones and scales recovered from one of the watercourts indicate the Calusa were capturing schooling species such as mullet, pinfish and herring. These Indians controlled most of south 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. Previous indigenous cultures had lived in the area for thousands of years. Diseases would ravage their population and force . They were also a very skilled traders and fishermen, and were able to exploit the natural resources of the region to their advantage. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. It is documented that their power and influence extended over several other tribes in the area. 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. . The men were responsible for work away from the home, like hunting and raiding. 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