Cahokia was a large pre-Columbian settlement in North America, with up to 20,000 people living in and around it. It covered six square miles and included at least 120 earthen mounds. Archaeological finds include evidence of a game called Chunkey and human sacrifice. The city began to decline after a flood in 1200 AD and is now buried under modern developments.
Long before European explorers arrived in the “New Word,” North America was home to many thriving societies. In the 12th century, up to 20,000 people lived in and around an urban center that archaeologists have dubbed “Cahokia,” located across the Mississippi River from present-day St. Louis, Missouri. The city was the largest pre-Columbian settlement north of Mexico, and its population rivaled that of many of the European cities of the time, including London. Research shows that many of the people who lived in Cahokia were originally immigrants, perhaps from as far away as the Great Lakes and Gulf Coast.
Anyone wanna play Chunkey?
Cahokia covered six square miles (16 square km) and included at least 120 earthen mounds. Today, parts of the old city, including Monks Mound, are a National Historic Landmark.
Archaeological finds from Cahokia include evidence of a strange game called Chunkey, which involved stone discs. There is also evidence that human sacrifice was a part of life in Cahokia.
The city began to decline after 1200 AD, around the time of a great flood. Much of the city lies buried under 19th and 20th century developments.
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