Cahokia Mounds in Illinois was a large city built by Native Americans who constructed mounds, including the largest north of Mexico, Monk’s Mound. The city had up to 40,000 inhabitants at its peak, but was abandoned around AD 1300. The site is still being investigated and contains a range of features, including Woodhenge, a copper lab, and evidence of human sacrifice. The Cahokia Mounds Interpretive Center offers an introduction to the site, including a recreated village. The site is a World Heritage Site and preserving the land is important for future generations.
Cahokia Mounds is an archaeological preserve near Collinsville, Illinois. It was once a large city where Native Americans from Mississippi built large mounds, typical of their culture at the time. This site contains the largest mound north of Mexico, called Monk’s Mound, which has been preserved and equipped with stairs for visitors in recent years.
It is unknown which surviving Native American tribes are descendants of the builders of Cahokia Mounds, and the town’s original name has been lost to history. As this is a site of ongoing archaeological investigation, it is possible that more mysteries of what life was like at Cahokia Mounds will be revealed in the future.
The inhabitants of Cahokia began building mounds around AD 1050. The city grew and eventually at least 120 mounds were built. At its peak, the city may have had a population of up to 40,000, although 10,000-20,000 is a more conservative estimate. The decline and subsequent abandonment of the city around AD 1300 is typically attributed to deforestation or human destruction of animal species, although conquest is also a possibility.
The mounds themselves are of various sizes. Some are completely degraded, but others are still relatively large. Different mounds were designed in different ways, probably with unique meanings and functions. Monk’s Mound, for example, may have been the site of a temple, or the home of the highest chief. The mounds also sometimes house tombs or relics.
Cahokia’s many striking features include a circle of poles now called Woodhenge, which marks the summer and winter solstices, as well as other astrological features. Additionally, the only known copper lab from the Mississippi era was discovered at Cahokia. It is likely that the city was well defended, as evidence of a palisade and watchtowers has also been discovered at the site, although these may have been for ritual purposes. Cahokia was also probably a site of human sacrifice, as mass graves have been found in one of the mounds.
The Cahokia Mounds Interpretive Center is an excellent introduction to the outdoor mounds. There are a large number of artefact displays with explanations, a theater and a model of the whole site. One of the best features of the interpretive center is the charming recreated village, which shows what life in the Cahokia Mounds would have been like in its heyday.
Cahokia Mounds is a treasured archaeological site that offers a window into early Native American life. It has been designated a World Heritage Site since 1982. One of the best ways to support the conservation efforts taking place at the Cahokia Mounds is simply to visit or donate funds towards the surrounding land acquisition. Of the 120 mounds, only 68 are within park limits. Preserving this land is important for future generations, because this site represents a part of Native American history found nowhere else in the United States.
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