1933 Dache Reeves aerial photo of central Cahokia, arrows point to light
lines of ancient palisades. Excavations in 1998 confirm the existence of
a corresponding palisade wall on the wester side of central Cahokia.
|
After discovering fortifications at the northern Mississippian town of Aztalan,
S.A. Barret suggested in the early 1930's the presence of some sort of wall
encircling the center of Cahokia. Aerial photographs taken by Dache Reeves soon
thereafter confirmed their existence. Since that time fortifications have been
discovered at numerous large Mississippian mound center settlements throughout
the southeastern United States including Larson and Orendorf in the Illinois
River Valley. In the American Bottom fortifications are known from Mitchell,
East St. Louis, and Olin.
|
Reconstructed palisades, Cahokia Mounds Museum. |
Palisades are in fact now a hallmark of large Mississippian mound-centers. Moreover, it is worth noting that worldwide the appearance of fortifications is associated with the accumulation of wealth, power, and development of chiefdom-level societies. The correlation between the formation of chiefdoms and the construction of large-scale defensive structures is one of the more interesting aspects of the evolution of social complexity. |
Thus, the most elaborate and well-planned defensive works known in North America are from Mississippian sites; they are not known from various village horticulturalists in eastern North America. Before examining what the evidence says about why fortifications were built and what they may tell us about Mississippian society, however, topics concerning the method of construction, and labor and material costs deserve attention.
