Cahokia Mounds: A Pre-Columbian City

Overview

• Cahokia: Once a massive city located in North America, now known as Cahokia Mounds Historic Site.
• Population: Estimated 10,000 to 20,000 people.
• Era: Flourished between 700s and 1100s.
• Architecture: Notable for its large earth pyramids, with some bases larger than the Pyramid of Giza.

Pre-Columbian North America

• Common Misconception: Pre-Columbian North America was not just small villages and hunter-gatherer societies.
• Reality: There were large, complex societies and cities.
• Trade: Extensive trade networks across North America.

Architectural and Cultural Achievements

• Pyramids: Earth pyramids, with at least 120 mound pyramids in Cahokia.
• Monks Mound: Largest mound where the chief lived, with a view of the area.
• Grand Plaza: A large artificially flattened area used as a bazaar and market space.

Archaeological Challenges

• Development and construction have disturbed many sites.
• Artifacts have been moved, sold, or lost over time.
• Archaeologists work to piece together the past despite these challenges.

Decline and Abandonment

• By the 1300s, cities like Cahokia and those of the Anasazi were being abandoned.
• Possible connections with contemporary events such as the rise of the Aztecs.
• By the time of Columbus, Cahokia had been abandoned for 150 years.

Historical Impact

• Cultural Influence: Evidence of widespread cultural and possibly political influence.
• Items found from across the continent indicate extensive trade and communication networks.

Conclusion

• Cahokia stands as a testament to the advanced societies present in North America before European contact.
• The site continues to provide insights despite the challenges faced by archaeologists in unearthing its history.