The Mounds
Monks Mound
It's size was calculated in 1988 as about 100 feet high, 955 feet
long including stairs/ acess ramp at the southern end, and 775 feet
wide this makes Monks Mound roughly the same size at its base as the Great
Pyramid of Giza.
Unlike Egyptian pyramids which were built of stone, the platform mound was constructed almost entirely of
layers of basket-transported soil and clay. Because of this construction and its
flattened top, over the years, it has trapped rain in the structure.
This caused "slumping", an avalanche-like sliding of large sections of the
sides at the highest part of the mound. Its designed dimensions would have been
alot smaller than its present form, but recent excavations have
revealed that slumping was a problem even while the mound was being made.
long including stairs/ acess ramp at the southern end, and 775 feet
wide this makes Monks Mound roughly the same size at its base as the Great
Pyramid of Giza.
Unlike Egyptian pyramids which were built of stone, the platform mound was constructed almost entirely of
layers of basket-transported soil and clay. Because of this construction and its
flattened top, over the years, it has trapped rain in the structure.
This caused "slumping", an avalanche-like sliding of large sections of the
sides at the highest part of the mound. Its designed dimensions would have been
alot smaller than its present form, but recent excavations have
revealed that slumping was a problem even while the mound was being made.
Mound 72
The excavation of mound 72 began in 1967 and
continued for five digging seasons through 1971. Mound 72 was excavated as a
result of a project called the Cahokia Mapping Project by the University
of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to classify and map the various mounds at Cahokia. It
was determined that Mound 72 held an important position by its orientation and
alignment with various other mounds.
272 burials were discovered in mound 72.
These burials were located within twenty five different features
over a period of several years as the mound structure continued to expand. Most
of the burials were sacrificial offerings and placed there as either extended
or bundle burials. High status burials in mound 72 would include two burials
known as the "beaded burials". They are located under primary mound 1 in
feature 101 where one individual was buried under a layer of over 20,000 beads
and one individual on top of the beads. These beads were laid out in a design
of a bird similar to other Mississippian art work. The combination of both
human and bird can be seen in the birdman tablet from
Cahokia.
continued for five digging seasons through 1971. Mound 72 was excavated as a
result of a project called the Cahokia Mapping Project by the University
of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to classify and map the various mounds at Cahokia. It
was determined that Mound 72 held an important position by its orientation and
alignment with various other mounds.
272 burials were discovered in mound 72.
These burials were located within twenty five different features
over a period of several years as the mound structure continued to expand. Most
of the burials were sacrificial offerings and placed there as either extended
or bundle burials. High status burials in mound 72 would include two burials
known as the "beaded burials". They are located under primary mound 1 in
feature 101 where one individual was buried under a layer of over 20,000 beads
and one individual on top of the beads. These beads were laid out in a design
of a bird similar to other Mississippian art work. The combination of both
human and bird can be seen in the birdman tablet from
Cahokia.
Mound 49
About 100 meters (328.1 feet) south of Monks Mound is a tumulus that was called Red Mound on one of the park's early signs, supposedly because so much red
pottery was discovered there.
pottery was discovered there.