calusa tribe religion

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. The Calusa were a Native American tribe that inhabited the southwest coast of Florida. While the Calusa managed to survive that encounter, the 250 years that followed brought intermittent contact with other conquistadors, Christians missionaries, and in later years, English and French explorer-traders who vied for the territory, often with the help of native allies. The Calusa artifacts discovered on Marco Island date from 300 AD to 1500 AD, prior to European contact in Florida. Many smaller tribes were constantly watching for these marauding warriors. Large earthen mounds and ridges, accessed by canals, are believed to have been associated with Calusa ritual. The Calusa were one of the few tribes known to be shell collectors. 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. The missionaries recognized that having a Calusa man cut his hair upon converting to Christianity (and European style) would be a great sacrifice. It is recorded that in that year, the Calusa chief formed an alliance with the Spanish governor, Menndez de Avils. Favored sites were likely occupied for multiple generations. The Calusa king, or head chief, was an absolute ruler. And to what extent does the occupational and architectural history speak to broader issues of Calusa complexity? Perhaps a dancer wore the mask and carried the figurehead of the particular animal he was emulating (Cushing 1896). Water World. What language did the Calusa speak? 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.. The Tribes' sovereignty was once again recognized and funding was restored for education, housing and health programs. Typical Women's Work. Many smaller tribes were constantly watching for these marauding warriors. 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. The chief's house was described as having two big windows, suggesting that it had walls. 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. It's also rich with the history and culture of the Calusa Indians, the Native Americans who preceded us, even if their footprints are a bit blurry. 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. 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. The Spanish were used to dealing with natives who farmed and who provided the Spanish with some of their food. [28] Cuban fishing camps (ranchos) operated along the southwest Florida coast from the 18th century into the middle of the 19th century. Mudlarker Finds Bronze Age Shoe on a UK Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old! Native American tribes In 1569, just three years after the Spanish fort was built, the Calusa attacked a Spanish supply ship, prompting more violence. The leaders included the paramount chief, or "king"; a military leader (capitn general in Spanish); and a chief priest. Prior surface surveys had revealed Spanish ceramics, beads and other artifacts, but the location of the fort hadnt been determined. 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.. It is clear the Calusa possessed an extraordinary understanding of and sensitivity to their natural environment. According to these accounts, the Calusa had a head chief named Carlos who lived in Calos and received tribute from surrounding villages. There was little change in the pottery tradition after this. The Calusa (/klus/ k-LOO-s) were a Native American people of Florida's southwest coast. 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. The fact that the Calusa were fishers, not farmers, created tension between them and the Spaniards, who arrived in Florida when the Calusa kingdom was at its zenith, Thompson said. The chief lived in the main village at the mouth of the Miami River. The best information about the Calusa comes from the Memoir of Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda, one of these survivors. Index of Indigenous languages Milanich, Jerald. As noted in an early 1566 acecount, Pedro Menendez de Aviles, a Jesuit missionary in charge of an early and unsuccessful attempt to convert the tribe to Christianity, was welcomed by the principal leader of the Callus with a large meal consisting only of many kinds of boiled, roasted, and raw fish (Goggin and Sturtevant 1964). Artist's conception of town chief at the Calusa town of Tampa (present day Pineland) (Art by Merald Clark.) What formation processes resulted in the complex of mounds and other features there? Darcie A. Macmahon and Dr. William H. Marquardt, an expert on the Calusa, have written a fascinating book that brings to life a group of people who disappeared from Florida in the 1700s. To date no one has found a Calusa dugout canoe, but it is speculated that such vessels would have been constructed from cypress or pine, as used by other Florida tribes. Return to our menu of Native American cultures [14], The Calusa lived in large, communal houses which were two stories high. The Calusa gathered a variety of wild berries, fruits, nuts, roots and other plant parts. 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 . For a long time, societies that relied on fishing, hunting and gathering were assumed to be less advanced, said Marquardt. Montauk The capital of the Calusa, and where the rulers administered from, was Mound Key, near present day Estero, Florida. Because the Timucua didn't use money, though, a shaman would be given such items as baskets or turkeys. The Calusa (said to mean fierce people ) are a Native American tribe that once inhabited the southwestern coast of Florida. The University Museum has an exceptional collection of artifacts from the Calusa site at Key Marco, Florida. By Paul Brinkmann. It was reputed in local legend to be the seat of the god Wotan and to be haunted. [Online]Available at: http://www.calusalandtrust.org/who_were_the_calusa/who_were_the_calusa.htm, Ripley, K., 2016. The Calusa believed that their cacique was not only the leader of their tribe, but also their spiritual leader. 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. Their territory ranged from Tampa Bay south to the Ten Thousand Islands and as far east as Lake Okeechobee. At the time of European contact in the 16th and 17th centuries, the historic Calusa were the people of the Caloosahatchee culture. After each meal, these shells were put to good use as building material and tools. This was made with clay containing spicules from freshwater sponges (Spongilla), and it first appeared inland in sites around Lake Okeechobee. Shells and clay were used by the Calusa to create the foundation of their cities. The finds tell us of Calusa fishing techniques, of the tools used to produce their wooden carvings, of architecture, ceremonialism, and daily life. Fruit and roots were gathered, and deer, bear, and raccoon were probably eaten as well. The men of the Calusa are recorded to have been powerfully built, and let their hair grow long. 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. Little was recorded of jewelry or other ornamentation among the Calusa. This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 15:27. People began creating fired pottery in Florida by 2000 BC.[3]. 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. This lasted until about 1750, and included the historic Calusa people. The Calusa leader, Calus (called Carlos II by the Spaniards), agrees to accept a Jesuit missionary among his people, but the Calusa refuse to . A Calusa alligator head carved out of wood, excavated at Key Marco in 1895, on display at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Copy. They believed that people had three souls-in a person's eye, shadow, and their reflection in the water. 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. They were supported by the labor of the majority of the Calusa. The Calusa Indians, who live in southwest Florida, are weakened by epidemics. While thousands of Calusa people were enslaved, about 270 people, including Calusa nobles, escaped to the Keys where, after the last raid by the Creeks on May 17, 1760, the surviving 60-70. The Calusa people were an important tribe of Florida. 5,8,4) traveled this year, in an unprecedented loan of the Key Marco material, to the National Gallery of Art where they were exhibited as part of the Columbian Quincentenary exhibition, Circa 1492: Art in the Age of Exploration. These figureheads will be on display in Philadelphia through 1992 in the Main Entrance of The University Museum. 4 . Calusa ceremonies included processions of priests and singing women. Artifacts related to fishing changed slowly over this period, with no obvious breaks in tradition that might indicate a replacement of the population. The fort is the only Spanish structure built atop a shell mound in Florida. 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. One of the most notable traditions of the Calusa was their use of shell mounds. They established a complex, centralized government, constructed a canal system, the beginnings of organized religion, and the creating of many art forms. Fish stored in the watercourts likely fed the workers who built the massive palace. Many people lived in large villages with purpose-built earthwork mounds, such as those at Horr's Island. The Calusa made bone and shell gauges that they used in net weaving. Marquardt, William H. (2004). Penn Museum, 1991 Web. [1], Early Spanish and French sources referred to the tribe, its chief town, and its chief as Calos, Calus, Caalus, and Carlos. Calusa beliefs included a trinity of governing spirits. Understanding the Mysterious Kingdom of Shambhala, Dont Cross the Kobolds: Mischievous Spirits of European Folklore, The Curious Apparitions of Pagan Goddesses to the German Knights Templar, The Truth Behind the Christ Myth: Ancient Origins of the Often Used Legend Part I, The Gristhorpe Man: A Bronze Age Skeleton with a Story to Tell, The Origins of Human Language: One of the Hardest Problems in Science, Translation of 5,500-Year-Old Babel Text from China Reveals Oldest Known Map of Inner Solar System, A Blazing Weapon: Unraveling the Mystery of Greek Fire. The Calusas were one of the few North American Indian tribes who were ruled by a hereditary king. He struck an uneasy peace with their leader Caluus, or Carlos. They are a tribe. Cushings excavations took place along the coast. 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. Although the Calusa came to an end, some remains of their achievements can still be seen today. Cushings excavations brought to light at least 23 wooden masks and figureheads. The men wore deerskin breechcloths. It appears that the answer is their watercourts, which were discovered back in the 1890s. 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. They built many villages at the mouth of the Miami River and along the coastal islands. The Calusa Indians did not farm like the other Indian tribes in Florida. 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. The Tequesta (tuh-KES-tuh) were a small, peaceful, Native American tribe. How was the Calusa Indian nation organized? They developed a complex culture based on estuarine fisheries rather than agriculture. Tabby was an Old World concrete consisting of lime from burned shells mixed with sand, ash, water and broken shells. Rituals were believed to link the Calusa to their spirit world ( Art by Merald Clark. The drove back multiple conquistadors and had control of nearby tribes. These Indians were so unfriendly that this was one of the first tribes that Spanish explorers wrote home about in 1513. The chief is said to have entertained the governor in a building so large that it could hold 2000 people in it. By around 5000 BC, people started living in villages near wetlands. The temple mounds, built by what must have been a well-organized work force, measured up to 30 feet high and were often topped with buildings of wood and thatch entered only by the elite. It's also possible that a few were absorbed into the Seminole tribe. The Spanish careened one of their ships, and Calusas offered to trade with them. Florida Museum of Natural History Florida and Georgia archaeologists have discovered the location of Fort San Antn de Carlos, home of one of the first Jesuit missions in North America. This language was distinct from the languages of the Apalachee, Timucua, Mayaca, and Ais people in central and northern Florida. 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. One of the most popular Native American sports was lacrosse. The Calusas as Shell Indians The Calusas are considered to be the first "shell collectors." Shells were discarded into huge heaps. 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. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. The two forms together may have indicated his transformation (Figs. 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. Furthermore, new diseases such as smallpox and measles were introduced into the area by European explorers. While archaeologists in Florida have recovered several village sites of Calusa habitation, including burial mounds, shell ridges, canals, and plazas, The University Museums 1896 excavations at Key Marco provided extraordinary clues to our understanding of Calusa ceremonialism and daily life. Native Americans enjoyed a wide variety of entertainment in the form of sports, games, music, dance, and festivals. Ivar the Boneless: Viking Warrior, Ruler and Raider, The Irish Story and Legend of C Chulainn, What is Shambhala? Five friars who stayed in the chief's house in 1697 complained that the roof let in the rain, sun and dew. It has been speculatively identified as Calusa in origin. 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 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. Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de Len landed on the east coast of Florida and . Around 1983, Donald found remains (ancient pottery and burial mounds) of Calusa Indians on some of his property, Josslyn Island. 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 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. Archaeological and historical documentation reveal that Calusa society was highly structured, with individuals living in fixed settlements surrounding a large central town. 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. Calusa Religion Birdseye View of Calusa The sun deity appears to have been a universal creator. This change may have resulted from the people's migration from the interior to the coastal region, or may reflect trade and cultural influences. [26], For more than a century after the Avils adventure, there was little contact between the Spanish and Calusa. Ancient Origins 2013 - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. The Calusa were a fascinating Native American people who populated the southwestern coast of Florida. Calusa society developed from that of archaic peoples of the Everglades region. The Calusa Tribe had a large population and were well-organized. In April of that year he made landfall and, calling this new territory La Florida, claimed it for the Spanish Crown. The Calusa had an established religion and practiced human sacrifice, and many temples were found built upon mounds. What is the origin of the legend of the Christed Son who was born of a virgin on December 25th? 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. However, no evidence of plant food was found at the Wightman site. The chief organized warfare and possessed special and traditional religious knowledge. Have been a universal creator http: //www.calusalandtrust.org/who_were_the_calusa/who_were_the_calusa.htm, Ripley, K., 2016,. Provided the Spanish with some of their food at Horr 's Island on December?... 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