Monday, April 28, 2014

Cahokia Mounds

Heather and I spent the day at Cahokia Mounds Saturday. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can click here to learn more.

At one time these were the doors one used to enter the Interpretive Center. They are cast bronze and very heavy. They have stopped using them. They were very heavy. They have stopped using them. There are more easily managed doors on either side of these monsters now. Not so functional, but beautiful.

This is one of the conical mounds.

The large mound's base is bigger than the Great Pyramid of Giza.

On a clear day the view from the top of the large mound gives a great view of the St.Louis City Skyline. Unfortunately it was hazy Saturday

One of the reconstructions is called "Woodhenge". It is a circle of poles around a center pole. They are pretty certain it was used as a calelndar and there are gatherings here at the Solstices. This is the pole in the center of the circle of poles.

Signs of the past seasons are still with us.

And, of course, there was Cake.
I love this place.

8 comments:

  1. This reminds me of one of the better high school experiences I had. We took a field trip here!

    Love the dandelion shot. I see you are starting to "put your face on the ground" :^)

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    1. I think Chahokia Mounds and the Cathedral Basilica are much under appreciated by those who live here. They really are world class attractions. I suspect the Mounds suffer from not having an exotic surrounding of jungle or desert cliffs. Many mounds were lost because they were in the way of flat land farming. Nothing every exotic about a corn field in Illinois is there?

      I'm always taken by the power of the place. So much life was lived there.

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    2. Madison has a lot of small burial mounds all over the place. Right in old neighborhoods you will see the sidewalk go around a big grassy area with a sign asking you to respect the mound. It's really something to see all of these mounds in the area and very nice that they are respected.

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  2. What a really neat place to visit and spend some time. I like the places that have something to teach us.

    And I am enjoying the cake pictures too.

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    1. I suspect there are many things Cahokia mounds could teach us, but I don't we will listen. As a species we seem to like making similar mistakes thinking our situation is terrible unique and unparalleled. Oh well, it is what it is.

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  3. Keith not sure which impressed me more the mounds or the cake!

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  4. Neat!

    We have a lot of "mound builder" history here in the Ohio Valley too. Serpent Mound is our most famous one and after that Fort Ancient. Google away...

    Never seen one as big as the one you highlighted though.

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