Front:
USAirmail
45
Puas
JUAN
Shea
700-1450
OCT
12
1989
00936
GAMERICA
PR
Back:
KEY MARCO MASK
First Day of Issue: October 12, 1989
First Issue Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Digging at Key Marco, Florida, in 1896, American arche-
ologist Frank Hamilton Cushing uncovered several pre-
Columbian Indian masks and the fascinating ceremonial
carved wooden figure now known as the Key Marco Cat.
The masks and cat are among the few known remains of
the ancient Calusa culture, which at one time thrived
along the southwest coast of Florida, together with all the
outlying keys. A maritime people, the Calusa Indians
made tools and weapons of seashells and fishbones. They
were fierce fighters and accomplished seamen, paddling
their dugout canoes around much of the Florida coast,
and journeying to Cuba and other Caribbean islands to
trade in fish, skins, and amber. The Calusa disappeared
during the 18th century — possibly fleeing to Cuba. The
Key Marco Cat shown on the 45¢ Pre-Columbian Artifact
Airmail stamp was one of their ceremonial figures — and
the stamp is part of the America series. The mask shown
in the cachet is based on masks used by the Calusa in their
ritual processions.
No. 89-31
©1989 The Maximum Card Collection
A Division of Unicover Corporation • Cheyenne, WY 82008-0007
Original painting by Ed Little
