Chapter 1
The rise of a hidden metropolis
Chapter 2
Engineering with earth
Chapter 3
Daily life and cosmic games
Chapter 4
The mysterious decline and legacy
YOUR GOAL
Master of America's forgotten metropolis of Cahokia
Ch 3 · Daily life and cosmic games
sonia Daily Life and Cosmic Games
Roll the stone across the plaza ground, Throwing spears to watch it spinning round!
sonia A small sandstone carving of a human wearing a bird mask represents Cahokia's connection to the cosmos.
sonia The introduction of flint corn around 900 CE allowed Cahokia's population to explode.
BETA
sonia Stack soil layers to discover how massive pre-colonial cities like Cahokia were built.
Fun Fact
Ancient diet: Besides corn, Cahokians ate wild game, fish, and domesticated plants like goosefoot and sunflowers, creating a highly diverse diet.
Glossary
chunkey (noun)
A traditional Native American game played by rolling a stone disc and throwing spears to land near it. Originating around 600 CE, Cahokians played this sport in central plazas to resolve conflicts and foster diplomacy.
A traditional Native American game played by rolling a stone disc and throwing spears to land near it. Originating around 600 CE, Cahokians played this sport in central plazas to resolve conflicts and foster diplomacy.
Quiz
What mythological figure is depicted on the famous sandstone tablet found at Cahokia in 1971?
Quiz
What was the main object rolled along the ground in the popular Mississippian game of Chunkey?
Quiz
What material was used to carve the iconic Birdman tablet, which became the symbol of Cahokia?
Quiz
Which archaeological feature at Cahokia provided dramatic evidence of a highly stratified social hierarchy?
Quiz
Which crop's introduction and widespread cultivation fueled Cahokia's rapid urban growth?