While the Europeans were experiencing the Middle Ages and the
Renaissance, Native Americans who lived along the Mississippi River and
its tributaries were developing their own unique culture. These pre
historic Native Americans, who are called Mississippian Indians by archaeologists,
lived in permanent villages which were built on a fairly
standard pattern. Ceremonial buildings on large four sided flat-topped
mounds faced a plaza. The villagers gathered in the plaza for important
events, ceremonies, and to watch various games such as stickball and chunkey.
One could click on the image shown to visit the mound sites
marked or one could click on one of the following :
The earthen mounds were built over a period of years. Perhaps they began as a slight rise with an important building on it. After a time, the building burned. Maybe the people set it on fire because it had become infested with vermin or perhaps the grass roof caught fire accidently. Whatever the cause of the fire, the people brought basketful after basketful of dirt to make a mound. When they were satisfied, they built a new building on top. Archeologists do not know what purpose these buildings fulfilled. The most widely accepted ideas are that these buildings were either religious structures, or the homes of chiefs or other important families.
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