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Mound volumes, Cahokia.

Notable technological aspects of mounds include method of construction, estimates of labor expenditure, and spatial organization. Early settlers, explorers, and commentators alike were struck by the massive amounts of earth contained in the mounds of Cahokia. This sense of awe was particularly true for Monks Mound, that "stupendous pile of earth" as it was called by the 19th century traveller H.M. Breckingridge. So amazed were early observers, that they could not fathom that such enormous undertakings were accomplished by Native Americans.

Modern observers are no less struck by the size and number of mounds at Cahokia. Over 650,000 cubic meters of earth make up Monks Mound, double the amount of earth contained in all the other mounds of Cahokia combined! Moreover, modern investigations have revealed details of mound construction and maintenance, and quantified estimates of Native American labor expenditure. Recent mapping projects have also shown that the spatial arrangement of mounds, at least those at Cahokia, were planned with celestial events in mind.

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