Indian Mound Builders

The Indian Mound Builders, also known as the Mississippian culture, were Native American societies that thrived from around 800 CE to 1600 CE in North America. They built impressive earthwork mounds for ceremonies, burial sites, and leadership platforms, particularly in the Mississippi River Valley. These societies organized centralized communities with complex social and spiritual practices, engaging in agriculture, trade, and craft-making. Their most famous site is Cahokia Mounds in Illinois, which housed thousands of residents and features massive, structured mounds that reflect advanced engineering and societal organization. Their legacy is evident in archaeological remains across the southeastern and midwestern United States.