Mississippian Cahokia

What do Cahokia and Stonehenge demonstrate about ancient societies?

They show examples of people cooperating under chiefs and visionary priests to build massive monuments and ritual spaces for important rites and observances.

What were common focuses of ancient rituals at Cahokia and Stonehenge?

Ancestors, death, natural cycles, and harnessing natural forces.

How did most people in these societies spend their daily lives?

They worked within kin groups, focusing on their households and subsistence rather than large-scale state organization.

What were key characteristics of Mississippian societies (AD 1000-1500)?

• Sedentary, maize-based agricultural economies

• Occupied river valleys and adjacent uplands

• Mound and plaza arrangements

• Hereditary leadership positions

• Shared belief system for cultural continuity and authority

What are the three layers of the Mississippian cosmos?

• Above World – Order and harmony, includes Sun, Thunderers, Morning Star

• This World – Flat plane floating on a sea

• Beneath World – Chaos and death, includes Underwater Panther, snakes, Horned Serpent, Cloud Woman

What celestial elements were important in Mississippian beliefs?

The night sky, stars, and the moon.

What is Cahokia’s regional settlement system like?

It consists of different local precincts within a hierarchical settlement system, with Cahokia as the central hub.

What is a common settlement pattern in chiefdoms?

Chiefdoms have a hierarchical settlement system:

• Paramount chiefs in the largest, most complex towns

• Lesser chiefs in large villages

• Many small settlements with no chiefs

What kind of architecture is found in Mississippian centers?

Monumental architecture built to support chiefly activities and religious events.

What do Cahokian burials reveal about their society?

Burials show marked social differences. Important leaders were carried on litters and their burials included mass human sacrifices

What symbols were associated with Cahokian leaders?

Leaders had the right to display sacred symbols, especially falcon imagery.