What was found in the mounds at Cahokia?

What was found in the mounds at Cahokia?

The men were buried with ceramics, gaming stones, copper-covered shafts, jewelry, and artifacts that have been traced from as far away as Oklahoma and Tennessee. In the center of these remains were two more bodies, one stacked on top of the other, and blanketed with more than 20,000 beads made from marine shells.

What were the mounds of the moundbuilders likely used for?

From c. 500 B.C. to…

D., the Adena, Hopewell, and Fort Ancient Native American cultures built mounds and enclosures in the Ohio River Valley for burial, religious, and, occasionally, defensive purposes.

What were the Cahokia known for?

Covering more than 2,000 acres, Cahokia is the most sophisticated prehistoric native civilization north of Mexico. Best known for large, man-made earthen structures, the city of Cahokia was inhabited from about A.D. 700 to 1400. Agricultural fields and a number of smaller villages surrounded and supplied the city.

Are the Cahokia Mounds burial mounds?

The burial mound in Cahokia known as Mound 72 has intrigued scientists ever since it was first discovered in 1967. It is the largest, most intact burial mound excavated in the region, containing the bodies of at least 270 individuals, many of them in mass graves.

Which ancient civilization is known for burying the dead in mounds?

Burial mounds were characteristic of the Indian cultures of east-central North America from about 1000 bce to 700 ce.

What were mounds built for?

Conical mounds were frequently constructed primarily for mortuary purposes. Rectangular, flat-topped mounds were primarily built as a platform for a building such as a temple or residence for a chief. Many later mounds were used to bury important people. Mounds are often believed to have been used to escape flooding.

What did the Mississippians trade?

These hoes were traded throughout Illinois and the Midwest. Mississippians made cups, gorgets, beads, and other ornaments of marine shell such as whelks (Busycon)found in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Birger figurine, BBB Motor site, Madison County.

Why is Cahokia important in history?

Cahokia was the largest city ever built north of Mexico before Columbus and boasted 120 earthen mounds. The city was the center of a trading network linked to other societies over much of North America. Cahokia was, in short, one of the most advanced civilizations in ancient America.

How was Cahokia discovered?

The Cahokia Mounds were discovered by French explorers in the 1600s. At the time they were inhabited by the Cahokia people, hence the mounds received their name. Since then the mounds have been frequently excavated. Excavations in the last decade have shown the site to have had a copper workshop.

Did the Cahokia sacrifice?

The people in Cahokia also practiced human sacrifice. Excavations in 1967 uncovered a mass burial on the site of Mound 72. Around 280 skeletons were uncovered. Around 80% of the bodies were young women.

What did the mound builders do?

MOUND BUILDERS Mound Builders were prehistoric American Indians, named for their practice of burying their dead in large mounds. Beginning about three thousand years ago, they built extensive earthworks from the Great Lakes down through the Mississippi River Valley and into the Gulf of Mexico region.

What is the size of a burial mound?

These burial mounds were rounded, dome-shaped structures that generally range from about three to 18 feet high, with diameters from 50 to 100 feet. Distinctive artifacts obtained through long-distance trade were sometimes placed with those buried in the mounds.

What happened to the mounds in the middle woodlands?

Distinctive artifacts obtained through long-distance trade were sometimes placed with those buried in the mounds. The construction of burial mounds declined after the Middle Woodland, and only a few were built during the Late Woodland period (circa 400 to 1000 A.D.).

What was the purpose of building mounds in Mesopotamia?

Some mounds of this period were built to bury important members of local tribal groups. These burial mounds were rounded, dome-shaped structures that generally range from about three to 18 feet high, with diameters from 50 to 100 feet.