A 1000-Year Record of Cahokia Region Population Change through Fecal Stanol Biomarker Analysis

Summary

Determining the timing and magnitude of Cahokia’s demographic rise and fall is crucial to understanding the reasons for its advance and collapse. Fecal stanol biomarker analysis is an emergent geoarchaeological method that may provide a more direct record of Cahokia region population change than previous population estimates. This study analyzed sediment from Horseshoe Lake, Illinois for fecal stanol content to establish a population proxy of the Cahokia region. The stanol record indicates Cahokia region population increased during the Terminal Late Woodland (900-1050 AD), declined during the Stirling phase (1100-1200 AD) and continued to approximately 1400 AD, confirming previous population estimates. The study is the first to provide continuous demographic information from Cahokia's founding to the historic period. The results of this study suggest biochemical indicators may be used alongside traditional archaeological data to evaluate past demographic events.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 17594