Did the Calusa make pottery?

Unlike other tribes, the Calusa did not make any items from pottery. Shells were used to make items like jewelry, utensils, and tools. They discared shells into huge piles, called mounds, which can still be found in many parts of Florida today.

What kind of houses did the Calusa live in?

And, rather than the traditional tent-like shelters many Native American tribes adopted, the Calusa chose to live in stilted huts with no walls and a roof made of Palmetto leaves on the coast along the inner waterways.

What are the traditions of the Calusa tribe?

The men and boys of the tribe made nets from palm tree webbing to catch mullet, pinfish, pigfish, and catfish. They used spears to catch eels and turtles. They made fish bone arrowheads to hunt for animals such as deer. The women and children learned to catch shellfish like conchs, crabs, clams, lobsters, and oysters.

What kind of clothing did the Calusa Indians wear?

The Calusa wore little clothing. The men wore a deerskin breechcloth. The Spanish left less description on what the Calusa women wore. Among most tribes in Florida for which there is documentation, the women wore skirts made of what was later called Spanish moss.

What did the Calusa people do for food?

Towns throughout south Florida sent tribute to the Calusa king. The level of southwest Florida political complexity is noteworthy because they depended for food mainly on fishing, hunting, and gathering. Although they probably kept small home-gardens, they raised no corn, beans, or manioc.

What kind of clothing did the Timucua wear?

Laudonnière first encountered the Timucua during the summer. The men wore a loincloth that wrapped around their waist, which let them go in and out of the water quickly. The women wore something similar, as well as another covering on their top usually made of deerskin or spanish moss.

Who are the Calusa Indians of South Florida?

From several firsthand accounts of south Florida Indians written by Europeans, it is apparent that the Calusa were socially complex and politically powerful. Calusa influence extended over most of south Florida in the sixteenth century. The Calusa were well established, with a population of several thousand.