Cahokia
Location
About
The most sophisticated pre-Columbian city north of Mexico, Cahokia (on the Mississippi River near modern St. Louis) was the largest settlement in North America from approximately 1050-1200 CE, with a population of 10,000-20,000. The site contains 120 earthen mounds, including Monks Mound — the largest prehistoric earthen mound in North America and one of the largest by volume in the Americas. The city was the political and ceremonial center of the Mississippian culture.
Significance
Cahokia challenges the common perception of pre-contact North America as a land of small tribal groups — it was a true urban center with planned streets, public spaces, a central plaza, and monumental religious architecture. The 'Woodhenge' solar calendar, the human sacrifices associated with the mounds (including the 'Beaded Burial'), and the long-distance trade connections reveal a complex religious and political system comparable in ambition to Mesoamerican civilizations.
History & Historical Arc
Cahokia was settled from around 600 CE but exploded in population after 1050 CE — possibly related to astronomical event…
Archaeological Notes
The 'Beaded Burial' (Mound 72) contained a man buried on 20,000 shell beads shaped as a falcon, surrounded by 250+ sacri…
Key Features & Structures
- Monks Mound (largest North American earthen mound)
- Woodhenge solar calendar posts
Visitor Information
UNESCO World Heritage Site. Open daily. Free entry. Near Collinsville, Illinois, across the Mississippi from St. Louis.
Related Figures
Source References
- Pauketat, Cahokia: Ancient America's Great City on the Mississippi (2009)
- UNESCO Cahokia nomination