The Timucua Indians were a Native American tribe from northern Florida and southern Georgia with an agrarian culture. They lived in round dwellings and grew crops, hunted, fished, and made tools. They wore animal skin garments and their population declined due to conflicts with European settlers and a smallpox epidemic.
The Timucua Indians were a Native American tribe that inhabited northern Florida and southern Georgia. They no longer exist as an Indian nation. The Timucua had a culture that was both agrarian and included hunting and gathering. There were at least three different Florida tribes called the Timucua Indians. Each of these had their own bosses, or leaders, and they were often in conflict with each other. Their languages were similar, but different dialects distinguished each group.
The Timucua Indians typically lived in villages. Their houses were often round dwellings made of small tree trunks, the thickest ends of which were buried in the ground. The thinner tops of these buildings were joined on top and palm leaves covered the top to keep water out. The dwellings were lined with sleeping benches and had an open smoke hole in the roof. The Timucua often lit small fires which they smoked under the benches to keep the insects away. It seems that the Timucua spent most of their time outdoors, reserving their homes mainly for sleeping.
In addition to growing crops – such as gourds for storage and foods such as corn, squash, sunflowers and amaranth – the Timucua Indians also hunted, fished and collected oysters and snails. They often fished using hook-and-line or dams, wooden walls that fish would be able to swim up to during high tide, but would trap them when the tide went out. The Timucua also harvested blueberries, cherries, blackberries, and various other fruits and nuts that grew in the region.
The Timucua Indians made tools for hunting, fishing and their agricultural activities. They generally hunted with bows and arrows, spears, clubs and blowguns. In addition to hooks and lines and weirs, the Timucua also sometimes fished with nets, harpoons and snares. They also made woven baskets for the harvest and used digging sticks, hoes and shovels to work in the fields.
Traditional Timucua clothing consisted of buckskin or other animal skin garments. They also made and wore woven cloth. Men generally had long hair, some of which was gathered in a tuft.
One theory as to why the Timucua Indians disappeared is that their population was depleted when this generally peaceful tribe fought with incoming European settlers in the mid-1600s. As their numbers dwindled due to fighting, they were also victims of a smallpox epidemic which further reduced the population. It is possible that there were some survivors, however, who may have joined the Seminole Indians.
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