Notes

Where and How They Lived
The Tocobaga Indians lived in
small villages at the northern end
of Tampa Bay from 900 to the
1500s. Each village was situated
around a public area that was used
as a meeting place. The houses
were generally round and built
with wooden poles holding up a
roof of palm thatches.
The Tocobaga Indians built
mounds within their villages. A
mound is a large pile of earth,
shells, or stones. The chief’s home
and the tribe’s temple were each
built on a mound. The Tocobaga
also built burial mounds outside
the main village area as a place for
burying the dead.
The women of the Tocobaga tribes had a garbage heap called a midden, which was located next to
their kitchen. Middens were created by the Tocoboga’s use of shellfish for food. The midden consisted
of a mound of shells that had grown and packed together throughout the years as shells were discarded
after every meal.
What They Ate
Because of their proximity to both the bay and freshwater streams, the Tocobaga fished and gathered shellfish
as their primary source of food. They also ate manatees, which were abundant in the nearby waters.
During this time, the Tampa Bay area was rich with animals such as deer, rabbits, armadillo, and
squirrels. As a result, the Tocobaga became great hunters. They also gathered a variety of berries, nuts,
and fruit to supplement their diet. Interestingly, the Tocobaga Indians had corn, an unusual find in
the Tampa Bay area. It is not clear how they got the corn, but it is speculated that they may have traded
with a northern tribe for it.