New Views of Cahokia's Urban Landscape: Multi-Instrument Geophysical Survey at the Ramey Field

Summary

In this paper we report on new collaborative research that seeks to investigate the history of pre-Columbian urbanism and Mississippian culture in the greater American Bottom region of eastern North America. Our research is being designed to take advantage of a wide range of archaeological methods, technologies, and analyses to produce information for Cahokia and other sites in the region. Here, we present initial results from our first season of work at Cahokia. In July 2016, project members conducted a multi-instrument geophysical survey covering around 9 hectares in the Ramey Field portion of the site, an area extending along Canteen Creek north and east of Monks Mound. Our preliminary results are being used to develop research questions that include understanding the history of occupation of this area, monument and plaza construction, and pre-Columbian landscape modifications and management. Other regional sites that figure into our long-term research designs may also be discussed, including new surveys at the Pulcher site, a large and early mound-town that continued to expand into the mid-twelfth century, overlapping with Cahokia’s major transformations.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• New Insights into Mississippian Culture at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site   •
• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 17339