French Drawings of the Timucua

When the French arrived in Florida in the 1560’s, they brought along a map-maker named Jacques le Moyne.  In addition to maps, le Moyne drew pictures of the Timucua people and Fort Caroline where he was stationed.  He actually saw many of the things he drew, but he also drew pictures of stories the Timucua told him.  Because he didn’t see everything for himself, some parts of the pictures may have errors.

After le Moyne drew his pictures, the Spaniards at St. Augustine attacked and burned Fort Caroline.  Le Moyne was lucky and escaped, but most of his drawings were destroyed in the fire.  He redrew them from memory over the next few years.  The pictures may have some errors in them because he couldn’t remember everything perfectly.

After le Moyne died, another man, named Theodore de Bry, decided to engrave these pictures into a book.  De Bry may have changed the pictures by filling in the background, adding more people, or rearranging the pictures entirely. 

It’s hard for us to tell which parts of these pictures are true, and which parts are false.  Historians have the job of trying to figure this out.  They use clues in the pictures, descriptions written by people alive at that time, and common sense to make their decisions.  Click here to go to the longer adult section on French pictures of the Timucua.

 
Black Drink Ceremony Engraving by Theodore de Bry

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