They had three specific deities that they believed their cacique interpreted for. This is still a popular sport today. The Calusa artifacts discovered on Marco Island date from 300 AD to 1500 AD, prior to European contact in Florida. South Florida Archaeology and Ethnography, South Florida Archaeology & Ethnography Collection. 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 notes that the Calusa turned down the offer of agricultural tools from the Spanish, saying that they had no need for them. 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 Carnac stones are an exceptionally dense collection of megalithic sites around the French village of Carnac, in Brittany, consisting of more than 3,000 prehistoric standing stones and erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany. The Tequesta Indians were a tribe of eastern Florida, closely connected with the Ais. 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. The Calusa (said to mean fierce people ) are a Native American tribe that once inhabited the southwestern coast of Florida. 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. 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. 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. Historical documents indicate that by the mid-1700s, the dwindling Calusa population had fled to Cuba, or the Florida Keys. Did the Calusa farm? It is why we were ashamed of Bernie Madoff. This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 15:27. At Mound Key, the Spaniards used primitive tabby as a mortar to stabilize the posts in the walls of their wooden structures. -written by Glenn Emery. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. "Chapter 10. Wiki User. The Calusa remained committed to their belief system despite Spanish attempts to convert them to Catholicism. It has also been stated that the Spanish were brought into a large temple, where they saw carved and painted wooden masks covering its walls. At the time of first European contact, the Caloosahatchee culture region formed the core of the Calusa domain. It is clear the Calusa possessed an extraordinary understanding of and sensitivity to their natural environment. 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. Mound Key, an island west of Fort Myers, was the center of this large Calusa Empire. The Calusa men were tall and well built with long hair. [5] A few leaders governed the tribe. Carlos was succeeded by his cousin (and brother-in-law) Felipe, who was in turn succeeded by another cousin of Carlos, Pedro. The Beast with an insatiable Hunger for Human Flesh, Film Footage Provides Intimate View of HMS Gloucester Shipwreck, Top 8 Legendary Parties - Iconic Celebrations in Ancient History, The Spanish Inquisition: The Truth Behind the Black Legend (Part II), The Spanish Inquisition: The Truth behind the Dark Legend (Part I), Bloodthirsty Buddhists: The Sohei Warrior Monks of Feudal Japan, Caesars Savage Human Skewers Unearthed In German Fort, The Red Taj Mahal and the Dutch Hessings of India. The Calusa believed that their cacique was not only the leader of their tribe, but also their spiritual leader. Schell, Rolfe F. 1,000 years on Mound Key; the story of the Caloosa Indians on . 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. Calusa ceremonies included processions of priests and singing women. The Calusas as Shell Indians The Calusas are considered to be the first "shell collectors." Shells were discarded into huge heaps. The heir of the chief wore gold in an ornament on his forehead and beads on his legs. "Florida Indians of Past and Present", in Carson, Ruby Leach and, Goggin, John M., and William C. Sturtevant. The Franciscans established a mission there in the late 17th century, but the Calusa evicted them after a few months time. [13][11] Artifacts of wood that have been found include bowls, ear ornaments, masks, plaques, "ornamental standards", and a finely carved deer head. Calusa beliefs included a trinity of governing spirits. 215.898.4000. A team has uncovered the foundations of a large dwelling and this is As Greek mythology goes, the universe was once a big soup of nothingness. A reconstruction of a Calusa home and terraces, on display at the Florida Museum of Natural History. The Calusa people's diet consisted mainly of fish and shellfish from the Gulf of Mexico and its many waterways. Florida's climate had reached current conditions and the sea had risen close to its present level by about 3000 BC. [Online]Available at: http://floridahistory.org/indians.htm, Marquardt, W. H., 2014. The Spanish A research project has finally solved an archaeological mystery in America . They are attacked by Spain, which in 1566 had established St. Augustine in the north. The Calusa gathered a variety of wild berries, fruits, nuts, roots and other plant parts. American Archaeology cover, featuring Florida Museum illustration by Merald Clark. (2004). The Calusa also used spears, hooks, and throat gorges to catch fish. 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. The Calusa have long fascinated archaeologists because they were a fisher-gatherer-hunter society that attained unusual social complexity, said William Marquardt, curator emeritus of South Florida Archaeology and Ethnography at the Florida Museum of Natural History. The Calusa are said to have been a socially complex and politically powerful tribe, and most of southern Florida was controlled by them. The Tribes' sovereignty was once again recognized and funding was restored for education, housing and health programs. 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. They were a fierce, independent tribe that lived in southwest Florida as early as 2,000 years ago. Five friars who stayed in the chief's house in 1697 complained that the roof let in the rain, sun and dew. They were one of the first tribes in South Florida and they settled near Biscayne Bay in the present-day Miami area. New Evidence Shows Humans Were Using Bows and Arrows in 52,000 BC. 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. Calusa society developed from that of archaic peoples of the Everglades region. In 1711, the Spanish helped evacuate 270 Indians, including many Calusa, from the Florida Keys to Cuba (where almost 200 soon died). Was this German silver mine really defended by two Roman forts and a line of "spike defenses? In 1697 Franciscan missionaries established a mission to the Calusa but left after a few months.[27]. 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. Tracking the Calusa: A Retrospective. One of Cushings crew members, Wells M. Sawyer, was an artist and photographer; he painted lifelikewatercolors and took field photos of many of the specimens as they came from the mud. 1). The Calusa were a tribe of Native Americans known as the "Shell Indians" and some of the first Floridians. In 1987, the Tribe approved a constitution and began to lay the groundwork for a self-sufficiency plan. Be notified when an answer is posted. 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.. Rogel also stated that the chief's name was Caalus, and that the Spanish had changed it to Carlos. From the time of European contact until their ultimate demise from conflict and illness around 1770, the Calusa successfully resisted, albeit with considerable bloodshed, intermittent efforts by Spanish missionaries to convert them to Christianity. 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. For hundreds of years, the Calusa built a society that had its own government, a religion, and adaptation to the environment that is quite impressive. The Tequesta lived in the southeastern parts of present-day Florida. One illustration of the sophistication of the Calusa can be found in eyewitness accounts of an event in 1566. Wiki User. Senquene succeeded his brother (name unknown), and was in turn succeeded by his son Carlos. One ritual was witnessed in which a large procession of masked men came down from a mound accompanied by hundreds of singing women (Goggin and Sturtevant 1964). In 1954 a dugout canoe was found during excavation for a middle school in Marathon, Florida. 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. However, they would suffer the same fate as many of the other Native American tribes. In the 1700's, infectious diseases, slaving raids and attacks by Creek and Yamasee Indians who were supplied with guns by the English, decimated the Calusa population. [2], Paleo-Indians entered what is now Florida at least 12,000 years ago. By the early 1600s the Calusa returned to Mound Key and reestablished their capital. 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. The fort is the only Spanish structure built atop a shell mound in Florida. And to what extent does the occupational and architectural history speak to broader issues of Calusa complexity? It has been speculatively identified as Calusa in origin. 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. All his subjects had to obey his commands. Cultivated gourds were used as net floats, and sinkers and net weights were made from mollusk shells. Native American tribes By the early 19th century, Anglo-Americans in the area used the term Calusa for the people. It seems a sad demise for such a powerful . 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. Additionally, they had (as their name suggests) a fierce, war-like reputation. Philadelphia, PA 19104 Undecorated pottery belonging to the early Glades culture appeared in the region around 500 BC. Ancient Chinese Earthquake Detector Invented 2,000 Years Ago Really Worked! 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. [4], The Calusa had a stratified society, consisting of "commoners" and "nobles" in Spanish terms. Indeed, given the results of recent research, they are now considered one of the most politically complex groups of non-agriculturalists in the ancient world. Julian Granberry has suggested that the Calusa language was related to the Tunica language of the lower Mississippi River Valley. Marquardt, William H. (2004). 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. 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. [Online]Available at: https://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/sflarch/research/calusa-domain/, floridahistory.org, 2016. AtAncient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. (Public Domain ). Artifacts related to fishing changed slowly over this period, with no obvious breaks in tradition that might indicate a replacement of the population. 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. The process of shaping the boat was achieved by burning the middle and subsequently chopping and removing the charred center, using robust shell tools. Calusa Protective Spell-Tampa This piece of folklore came from my co-worker, who grew up in Tampa, Florida. This class was supported by commoners, who provided them with food and other material goods. They were descendants of Paleo-Indians who inhabited Southwest Florida approximately 12,000 years ago. 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 Spanish reported that the chief was expected to take his sister as one of his wives. The Calusa built their entire way of life around the ocean and estuaries of the Gulf Coast, creating a vast empire by learning to manipulate their environment. Large earthen mounds and ridges, accessed by canals, are believed to have been associated with Calusa ritual. These small fish were supplemented by larger bony fish, sharks and rays, mollusks, crustaceans, ducks, sea turtles and land turtles, and land animals. 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. Fish stored in the watercourts likely fed the workers who built the massive palace. The first phase of work included the creation of a detailed topographic map of the island using LiDAR, which gave archaeologists information about its structures and geography. In a report from 1697, the Spanish noted 16 houses in the Calusa capital of Calos, which had 1,000 residents. The Calusa also made fish traps, weirs, and fish corrals from wood and cord. [4], Between 500 and 1000, the undecorated, sand-tempered pottery that had been common in the area was replaced by "Belle Glade Plain" pottery. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. Join CJ as he discusses: The origins of the Calusa Their physical description Their society, hierarchy, and religion The Spanish founded a mission on Biscayne Bay in 1743 to serve survivors from several tribes, including the Calusa, who had gathered there and in the Florida Keys. While there is no evidence that the Calusa had institutionalized slavery, studies show they would use captives for work or even sacrifice. 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. Additionally, it has been suggested that the population of this tribe may have reached 50000 people at one point of time. "The Calusa: A Stratified, Nonagricultural Society (With Notes on Sibling Marriage)." The chief is said to have entertained the governor in a building so large that it could hold 2000 people in it. Uniquely, it was powered by fishing, not farming. Diseases would ravage their population and force . Historic sources reveal that they were a warlike people who economically and politically dominated most of southern Florida (Fig. What was the calusa Indians religion? 3). The Iliad can provide new insights on the role of motherhood among the ancient Greek gods, and by extension, amongst ancient mortal Greek women themselves. Many smaller tribes were constantly watching for these marauding warriors. 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. 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. Add an answer. [17], The Calusa believed that three supernatural people ruled the world, that people had three souls, and that souls migrated to animals after death. 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 leaders included the paramount chief, or "king"; a military leader (capitn general in Spanish); and a chief priest. The Horsemen of Oyo were legendary warriors who served the Oyo Empire of West Africa. A diorama of a Calusa chief in the Florida Museum of Natural History. The Calusa king, or head chief, was an absolute ruler. 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. 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 recovered various types of Spanish artifacts such as majolica ceramics, hand-wrought nails and spikes, a bale seal and olive jar sherds, as well as native artifacts. 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. The Calusa also believed that three supernatural beings ruled the universe. Rituals were believed to link the Calusa to their spirit world ( Art by Merald Clark. The other two souls left the body after death and entered into an animal. When Pedro Menndez de Avils visited in 1566, the Calusa served only fish and oysters to the Spanish. Menndez married Carlos' sister, who took the baptismal name Doa Antonia at conversion. On Key Marco, among numerous mounds and ridges of earth and shell, he discovered a courtyard submerged in mud and bound by walls of conch shells. Now, there is a lot of garbage and misinformation on the Internet no matter what . Native Americans of the California Coast: The Chumash By Damian Bacich The Chumash are a widespread group of California native people who lived along the southern California coast and the Santa Barbara Channel Islands. Rituals were believed to link the Calusa to their spirit world (Art by Merald Clark.) The Iroquois, on the other hand, placed the shaman at the head of all things spiritual. 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. This article first appeared in the magazines fall 2020 issue. Native American names They were occupying this land and engaging in commerce, culture, religion, politics and family life . Pottery distinct from the Glades tradition developed in the region around AD 500, marking the beginning of the Caloosahatchee culture. 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. They also cored sediments on and off the island to help describe and date environmental changes during the sites occupation. The walls were covered entirely with masks colored red, white, and black (Hann 1991). This article is good but it does not provide any data related to the status of the Calusa people at the first arrival of Spaniards in 1513 leaded by Juan Ponce de Leon, its "discoverer". After each meal, these shells were put to good use as building material and tools. [24][25], In 1566 Pedro Menndez de Avils, founder of St. Augustine, made contact with the Calusa. What language did the Calusa speak? When the Spanish arrived in Florida in the early 16 th century, the Calusa were already in possession of a complex centralized government. The chief lived in the main village at the mouth of the Miami River. 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 . Artist's conception of town chief at the Calusa town of Tampa (present day Pineland) (Art by Merald Clark.) What was the Calusa religion? Tribute was offered in the form of prestige goods, such as feathers, mats, deerskins, food, and metals and captives recovered from Spanish shipwrecks (Hudson 1976). Mudlarker Finds Bronze Age Shoe on a UK Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old! Calusa society developed from that of archaic peoples of the Everglades region. The Spanish careened one of their ships, and Calusas offered to trade with them. The first Spanish explorers found that these Indians were not very friendly. In 1517 Francisco Hernndez de Crdoba landed in southwest Florida on his return voyage from discovering the Yucatn. Perhaps a dancer wore the mask and carried the figurehead of the particular animal he was emulating (Cushing 1896). The Calusa lived from at least A.D. 1000 up to the middle of the 18th century in what are now southwest Floridas Lee, Charlotte, and Collier counties. ARTIFACTS & OBJECTS Racoon tail Fish bladder ear decorations Body tattoos Wood spear with bone tip Shell bead necklace Shell pendant Shell bead bracelet Bald Eagle The Calusa tribe once numbered around 50,000 people, and Tampa was one of their largest towns. A variety of carving tools were also recovered. The Calusa Domain. 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. Franciscan friar Fray Lopez, director of the unsuccessful 1697 mission attempt, described the Calusa temples as very tall and wide, with a mound in the middle and a structure on the mound enclosed with reed mats and containing benches around the walls. google_ad_height = 15; Because the Timucua didn't use money, though, a shaman would be given such items as baskets or turkeys. Tamara Jager Stewart is the assistant editor of American Archaelogy and the Conservancys Southwest region projects director. 01 Mar 2023 , 3260 South Street The rich and relatively stable coastal ecology of southwest Florida provided an abundance of marine lifenumerous kinds of fish, shellfish, and sea mammalsthat was capable of supporting a large human population. 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 were supported by the labor of the majority of the Calusa. Office: Old St. Luke's Hospital. Archaeology, 57(5), 4650. A dozen words for which translations were recorded and 50 or 60 place names form the entire known corpus of the language. Their sophistication and fierceness enabled them to resist Spanish domination for some 200 years. Their immune systems lacked antibodies to fight off European diseases. Cushings knowledge of American Indian culture, and specifically his experiences at Zuni Pueblo, helped him make rapid judgments about objects which in many cases were disintegrating before him. The women were responsible for work around the house, like cooking and raising the children. 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. Typical Women's Work. Previous indigenous cultures had lived in the area for thousands of years. Unlike other Indian tribes, the Calusa did not make many. They believed that people had three souls-in a person's eye, shadow, and their reflection in the water. 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.. Along the southwest Gulf coast lived the Calusa (Caloosa) Indians. Since it seems to be working, many people still believe in the legend. [19], Little is known of the language of the Calusa. They began preliminary investigations of the fort, which was located on Mound 2 and housed one of the first Jesuit missions established in the U.S. Fontaneda lived with various tribes in southern Florida for the next seventeen years before being found by the Menendez de Avils expedition. Study guides. The Spanish departed and returned to Puerto Rico. Known as the "Shell Indians", the Calusa are . Well-preserved nets, net floats, and hooks were found at Key Marco, in the territory of the neighboring Muspa tribe. Many of them are trying to do this on the Internet. THE CALUSA INDIANS OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. Each human had three souls, present in his shadow, his reflection in water and in the pupil of his eye. The Calusa were one of the few tribes known to be shell collectors. Montauk Ivar the Boneless: Viking Warrior, Ruler and Raider, The Irish Story and Legend of C Chulainn, What is Shambhala? The Calusa Indians did not farm like the other Indian tribes in Florida. [20][21], A few vocabulary examples from Granberry's work are listed below:[22]. Archaeological and historical documentation reveal that Calusa society was highly structured, with individuals living in fixed settlements surrounding a large central town. Menndez left a garrison of soldiers and a Jesuit mission, San Antn de Carlos, at the Calusa capital. The chief's house was described as having two big windows, suggesting that it had walls.
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