What did the calusa eat for food?

The Calusa people, who lived in southwest Florida, were incredibly skilled at adapting to their environment and had a diverse diet based on the resources available to them. Here's a breakdown of what they ate:

Seafood:

* Fish: They were expert fishermen and fished with nets, hooks, and spears. Their diet included a variety of fish like mullet, grouper, snook, and tarpon.

* Shellfish: They were skilled in harvesting shellfish like oysters, clams, mussels, and conch. They ate these raw, roasted, or boiled.

* Sea turtles: They were known to hunt sea turtles, particularly green sea turtles, for their meat and eggs.

Land Animals:

* Small mammals: They hunted deer, rabbits, squirrels, and other small mammals using traps and bows and arrows.

* Birds: They hunted a variety of birds, including ducks, geese, and shorebirds.

* Alligators: Alligators were a source of meat and hide, though this was likely a less frequent source of food.

Plants:

* Fruit: They gathered fruits like wild berries, pawpaw, and prickly pear.

* Roots: They collected roots like wild potatoes and yuca.

* Nuts: They gathered nuts like acorns and hickory nuts.

* Palms: They used the hearts of palm trees for food.

Cultivated Plants:

* Corn: The Calusa were known to grow corn, which was an important part of their diet.

* Beans: They also cultivated beans.

* Squash: Squash was another important food source.

Other:

* Salt: They collected salt from the ocean and used it to preserve food and enhance flavor.

* Honey: They collected honey from wild beehives.

The Calusa were a highly skilled and resourceful people who were able to thrive in their environment by utilizing a variety of food sources. Their diet was diverse and provided them with the nutrition they needed to survive and flourish.