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These
Cahokia points were found during the excavation of mound 72 in two of the three caches
that contained approximately 1200 stone projectile points. Two
groups were hafted on arrow shafts and the other was evidently placed
within some type of container that did not survive.
Approximately
seventeen different styles of points were found in mound 72. These varied
from simple unnotched triangular points to some that were both serrated
and notched with recurved blade edges. They were also made out of many
different types of stone such as silicisified sandstone and Burlington,
Dover & Kaolin cherts. The arrow points that were found in mound 72 were made
far better than the majority of projectile points found on the
Mississippian village sites
in and around the Cahokia Mounds site. The average Cahokia point, made for hunting and
warfare, is actually fairly crudely made if compared to mound 72 points
that were made for offerings to the dead.
Mound 72 was
one of the most complicated prehistoric mound structures
ever excavated in North America. It was started as a single mound built
over a large post pit. Sometime later two more mounds were constructed
then finally all three mounds
were capped into one large mound. After five digging seasons and
two thirds of the mound had been excavated 272 burials were
uncovered. Many of these were mass graves, with the burials of victims of
apparent sacrifice. Four males in one burial had their heads and hands
removed. Another group were laid out in a row and tightly bound on cedar stretchers.
Many of the
burial offerings were made of exotic materials that were brought in from
great distances. Copper was brought from the Great Lakes area, mica from
the Smoky Mountains and shell from the Gulf Coast. Mound 72 dates to
approximately 950 A.D. |
CAST #M-2
UN-NOTCHED SERRATED
CAHOKIA POINT
#70-91-8
KAOLIN CHERT
CAST #M-3
TRI-NOTCHED SERRATED
CAHOKIA POINT
#67-1551-67
BURLINGTON CHERT
CAST #M-4
TRI-NOTCHED SERRATED
CAHOKIA POINT
#67-1551-294
BURLINGTON CHERT
CAST #M-5
TRI-NOTCHED SERRATED
MOUND 72 POINT
"ART FORM"
#67-1551-33 & 48
CAST
#M-6
TRI-NOTCHED
MOUND 72 POINT
#70-91-339 |
