Calusa - Wikipedia
The Calusa (/ k ə ˈ l uː s ə / kə-LOO-sə, Calusa: *ka(ra)luš(i) [1]) were a Native American people of Florida's southwest coast. Calusa society developed from that of archaic peoples of the Everglades region. Previous indigenous cultures had lived in the area for thousands of years.
Calusa Heritage Trail – Randell Research Center at Pineland
On the Calusa Heritage Trail, visitors can tour an internationally significant site and learn about Calusa culture and their environment.
Who Were the Calusa? - Calusa Land Trust
The Calusa were divided into nobles and commoners, supported an elite military force, and received gifts of tribute from towns and villages many miles away. They believed in an afterlife, and made daily offerings to their ancestors.
Calusa Cultural Heritage Preservation in Southwest Florida
May 2, 2024 · When the Spanish visited southwest Florida in the 1500s, they encountered the highly sophisticated Calusa who developed a complex political economy based on not agriculture like other groups at the time – but rich estuarine resources like fish and shellfish.
The Calusa: "The Shell Indians" - University of South Florida
The Calusa (kah LOOS ah) lived on the sandy shores of the southwest coast of Florida. These Indians controlled most of south Florida. The population of this tribe may have reached as many as 50,000 people. The Calusa men were tall and well built with long hair.
In Ancient Florida, the Calusa Built an Empire Out of Shells and …
Apr 2, 2020 · Beginning roughly 2,000 years ago, the Calusa enjoyed centuries of dominance as the undisputed rulers of southwest Florida. Theirs was a complex society with trade routes spanning hundreds of...
The Calusa - U.S. National Park Service
Oct 17, 2017 · The Calusa was a powerful, complex society who lived on the shores of the southwest Florida coast. Their main waterway was the Calooshahatchee River, which means River of the Calusa. They had a reputation from being a fierce, war-like people, especially among European explorers and smaller tribes.
The Calusa Indians: Maritime Peoples of Florida in the Age of …
While archaeologists in Florida have recovered several village sites of Calusa habitation, including burial mounds, shell ridges, canals, and plazas, The University Museum’s 1896 excavations at Key Marco provided extraordinary clues to our understanding of Calusa ceremonialism and …
Calusa Indians dominated our coast in 1500 - Sarasota Herald-Tribune
May 5, 2013 · The Calusa built mounds and villages from Charlotte Harbor to the Ten Thousand Islands around Everglades City. They were fishermen who used great canoes to travel the Gulf Coast. On Pine Island,...
Learn about the Calusa & the land they inhabited - Mound House
Travel the Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail, navigating the same waters that this ancient coastal tribe once fished. Then, learn about their culture and how they used natural resources to create tools and weapons they used to sustain and defend their domain.