Carbondale, Illinois

Cahokia, occupied from AD 800-1400, is one of the most famous archaeological sites in North America. At its height, it was a political and ceremonial center with over 100 mounds and covering more than 5 square miles, with a dominant role in the Mississippian culture of the American Bottomland. There is an excellent interpretive museum on the site, as well as trails through the mounds. The chance to climb to the top of Monks Mound, the largest prehistoric mound ever built in the United States, is not to be missed! The tour will leave Carbondale at 8 a.m., under the guidance of Paul Welch. After a tour of the site and museum, we will have the traditional post-Cahokia lunch at nearby Ramon's Mexican restaurant (not included in the price of the tour). Participants can be dropped off at the airport in St. Louis after the tour and/or lunch. It takes about half an hour to reach the airport from Cahokia, and our site tour should be over by noon, although participants with early flights can leave sooner. We will return to Carbondale around 3 p.m.

More information about Cahokia may be found at the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site web site.

A $20 fee will be charged for this excursion.

Please send all enquiries to:
Jeb J. Card, Ph.D.
Center for Archaeological Investigations
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Faner 3479-Mail Code 4527
1000 Faner Circle
Carbondale, IL 62901
at jcard@siu.edu