Appearence

The Florida Natives were described as tall, shapely, muscular and athletic, with well proportioned physiques. They had hawk like noses and ruddy complexions (olive, tawny, reddish); the women and children being fairer than the men. It was reported that they used various oils (such as bear fat) mixed with herbs as cosmetics, bug deterrents, and as tanning lotions.

Women wore their long dark hair loose and flowing to their hips, while men twisted their long hair into a bun atop their heads. Men also wreathed or entwined their hair with moss or grass. Both sexes allowed their fingernails and toenails to grow long, then filed them to sharp points (these were fearsome weapons). The chief, his family, and others of high rank were tattooed in colors of red, azure and black. Chiefs also wore finely painted deer hides, shell belts, painted bird plumes and gorgets (round pendants) made of precious copper.

A warrior´s clothing consisted of a loin cloth made of soft deerskin, sometimes painted, or was made of a fabric of woven palm fronds or pounded roots. Women wore a short skirt or apron, woven of Spanish moss. They sometimes smoked their moss apparel over an aromatic fire to perfume them and to drive out the redbugs. In cooler weather, both men and women wore cloaks (called matchcoats) made of painted deer skin or turkey feathers. The men's cloaks were worn over both shoulders while the women's were only over one. Personal adornments included: earrings or earspools made from fish bladders or conch shell columella, hairpins of carved bone, feathers, necklaces and bracelets made of small and large shell beads, bracelets of fish teeth, small copper disks, and freshwater pearls.