The Hidden Cahokia

Much of what we know about Cahokia Mounds is no longer visible to the naked eye. Some of the more interesting discoveries and the specific location of prehistoric buildings can easily go unnoticed. The tour pamphlets and audio tapes available at the Interpretive Center contain minor references to these locations, and these materials are being updated to include more.

However, you might want to pay attention to some of these almost 'hidden' locations that are otherwise easily missed:
  • The location where the Cahokia Birdman Tablet was found
  • The location of the West Palisade Wall (not yet reconstructed)
  • The location of the mysterious 'stones' under Monks Mound
  • The location of a huge circular structure (council house?) which might have been the largest in North America
  • The location of large rectangular 'compound' buildings, with circular bastions around them
  • The location of a tall pole on the summit of Monks Mound. It was reconstructed at one time, but kept getting struck by lightening and was eventually deemed unsafe for tourists to be around

You might want to search for these locations on the Virtual Site Tour map.