Krejci

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Anthropology

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Dec 6, 2023

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Bill Krejci 10/30/23 Week 2 Assignment - World Heritage Site Chronology The Cahokia Mounds site is believed to have been inhabited between roughly 700 AD and 1400 AD. Relatively speaking this 700-year occupation is not a very long time in the grand scheme of things. The same Mississippian culture occupied this site from its inception until its downfall. This culture was primarily built around farming. Crops such as corn, beans, and squash were integral to the survival of these people. They were also in a prime location to be able to hunt animals such as deer, waterfowl, and small game, like rabbits and squirrels, for food as well. The Mississippian culture is probably best known for its tradition of building earthen mounds. “Most of the mounds were not for burials but were rectangular platforms that supported important buildings, temples, and the residences of the leaders.” (Cahokia Mounds: Prehistoric Indian City. (2010)) The largest of these mounds is Monk’s Mound. It

is a multi-terraced mound covering roughly fourteen acres at its base. Figure 1 https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mississippian-culture Currently, it is the largest prehistoric earthen mound ever discovered in the Western Hemisphere. This mound was the center of this Mississippian city. Another development of this culture was the creation and building of a wooden calendar based on the Sun. Today this structure is referred to as Woodhenge. The importance of this calendar cannot be overstated. As a culture primarily based around farming, this sun calendar helped them to know when the optimal times were to plant and harvest their crops to maximize their yield. It was discovered that over the years this structure was re-built several times. The reasoning behind this is not known. Based on the relatively short time that this area was inhabited, there was only one Mississippian culture that was ever established. It is believed that a great drought was possibly

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