Art of the Calusa

Long before European contact, the Calusa people thrived as the dominant coastal culture of Southwest Florida. This richly illustrated lecture explores their remarkable artistic legacy, an aesthetic shaped by environment, belief, and power. From carved masks and ceremonial objects to tools and adornments made of shell, bone, and wood, Calusa art was both functional and deeply symbolic. We examine how their works served decorative and sacred purposes, culminating in one of Florida’s most iconic archaeological treasures: the enigmatic Marco Cat. Discover a civilization whose visual language reveals a sophisticated worldview and a powerful connection to land and sea.

Lecture will be held in the first floor Grand Atrium Gallery at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center