Cahokia - Monk's Mound Apr 2023 - a photo on Flickriver

Cahokia - Monk's Mound Apr 2023

            The Monks Mound is the largest mound in Cahokia. It is at least 100 feet high and was terraced and had buildings on the top and lower terrace. It is thought the top was a holy place or leader's residence. The mound is aligned so that it faces south with the sun rising and setting on the East and West Terraces. 

I also notice that you can see for many miles in all directions from this height. I wonder if it was also built to be able to clearly see over all the domain of Cahokia. The top commands a view of St Louis and the Mississippi River and I wonder if this also allowed them to see any invaders while they were far away. I wonder if this was the practical reason for such a huge public works project. Somehow they arranged for large numbers of people to work - and it must have been back breaking using Chirt Hoes and baskets to move millions of cubic feet of earth from about 1/4 mile away. Archeology always suggests that such places are holy places, but I wonder if there were more practical reasons like defense. Also in my experience as a human, people don't readily do hard labor unless they are 1. forced or 2. must do it to protect or enrich themselves, Having a religious component may also have made it more important. Ultimately it is thought that the leader or priests lived at the very top and at the next lower level, the next level of important people or officers. This certainly offered them protection (along with the palisades around the main courtyard. It is also thought that inequity also caused the collapse of this society. Perhaps the poorer workers finally realized their labor was doing more to boost the elite's status and that defense and religion were the tools to make them work harder for the elite class. An old story indeed.   

The Cahokian Empire peaked about 1000 AD with the forming of this massive city complex on the border of Missouri and Illinois. At its height Cahokia may have had 50-100,000 inhabitants. This was a sophisticated metropolis with organized, massive public works projects and the ability to feed and support all these people. Evidence suggests they were THE power of the US at the time. They had advanced weapons and fighting tactics and a sophisticated military that used phalanx type battle formations. They were like the ROME of the Americas uniting or subduing tribes by force, as far east as the Atlantic, south to the Gulf of Mexico and North to Wisconsin. Their influence can be seen in the stories and archeology of the Native Americans that the Europeans encountered. However by 1200 AD Cahokia's power had broken and the society fractured back into smaller tribes. Something happened but it is unclear what. The archeology suggests that the society became more stratified into haves and have-nots with the wealthy increasingly living well off the work of a majority undernourished poor class. Eventually the whole thing fell apart and without the unifying power of the Cahokian state old tribal and ethnic rivalries reemerged and the flow of people toward Cahokia reversed. It seems that the tribes also learned the ways of Cahokia which the archeology suggests was quite violent. Whatever happened, Cahokia was abandoned around 1200. 

For most of US history -post Revolutionary War - racism tainted the interpretation and archeology of the site. It was assumed that Vikings or Phoenicians must have built this since it was considered that Native Americans were unable to organize and build such a sophisticated metropolis. This is a crime and the history of Cahokia should be taught to every school child. 

If correct it is a tale as old as time. Like the the Roman Empire amazing people built a world changing society. They also could be rough and violent societies, holding their empire together with powerful armies and force. Ultimately it is internal fighting and inequity that leads to its undoing and passage into history. This place should be considered as much a national treasure as the Grand Canyon or any other world treasure.

Taken in: United States / Illinois / Nameoki Township / State Park Place (show map)

Taken on: April 3, 2023

Tags:

Cahokia

mounds

Monks Mound

Mississippian Culture

Native Americans

City

'Ancient

City Mississippi

River

Ceremonial

elite

religous

plaza « less

Sets appears in: • Cahokia Apr 2023 • St Louis Trip Apr 2023

Camera: Canon PowerShot SX530 HS, f/5.0, 1/320 sec, 20mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon PowerShot SX530 HS
Aperture:	f/5.0
Exposure Time:	0.003 sec (1/320)
Focal Length:	20mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Show full info

Stats: 170 views