Cahokia Mounds Historic Site

Kaya got to visit the Cahokia Mounds Historic Site in Collinsville, Illinois. The Cahokia Mounds were built by a different tribe than Kaya's, the Mississippians.

The people who built these mounds lived long before Kaya's people. In 1250 AD, Cahokia was larger than London. In its prime, Cahokia covered 6 square miles.

The park contains about 80 mounds. The city of Cahokia had 120 mounds. The largest mound is called Monk's Mound. Monk's Mond is the largest prehistoric earthwork in North America. People can climb this mound, but to show respect you must stay off of the other mounds.

Here is a view of Monk's Mound from the side.

Can you see some of the mounds in this picture?

Although this is not Kaya's culture, Kaya wanted to show the site respect when she visited. The mounds were very sacred places to the people who built them.

This is a symbol from an artifact found at Cahokia Mounds.

Cahokia also contains Woodhenge, which is a reconstruction of a circular monument. It has a diameter of 410 feet. Originally Cahokia originally had five of these. They served as solar calendars.

Kaya enjoyed visiting Cahokia and learning about its people. Here she is sitting on the steps of Monk's Mound.