lshih | Real Archaeology

The ancient city of Cahokia, located in the southwest of Illinois, was once a bustling metropolis that thrived for four centuries. It was the largest pre-Columbian city in North America, and its agricultural practices and the diet of its inhabitants are crucial to understanding the daily lives and cultural dynamics of its citizens. Its large population ensured that agriculture would play a central role in structuring Cahokian society. Archaeological evidence and research provide insights into how the people of Cahokia sustained themselves throughout the city’s impressive history.

Agricultural practices were fundamental to Cahokia’s success. The city’s inhabitants cultivated a diverse array of crops, but maize (corn) was a primary staple of the average diet (Yates, 2020). The Cahokian’s production of maize was crucial, as its large-scale cultivation allowed Cahokia to support a large population. The people of Cahokia also developed agricultural techniques, such as the three sisters farming method (Person, 2023). This method involves planting maize, beans, and squash together, creating a symbiotic relationship, and ensuring the success of all three crops (Figure 1). Maize provided a tall stalk for the beans to climb, while squash vines covered the ground, reducing weed growth and retaining moisture (Editor, 2019) (Figure 1, Figure 2). This agricultural approach allowed Cahokians to maximize their agricultural productivity, thus helping the city support its growing population.

Figure 1: A diagram depicting the three sisters agricultural method (Editor, 2019)

Figure 2: Three sisters farming in real life (Four String Farm, 2013)

Cahokia was situated on a floodplain of the Mississippi River – a very fertile section of land that provides an ideal environment for agriculture (Kiger, 2019). The rich soil supported not only the crops mentioned in the three-sisters farming method but also a variety of seeds, such as goosefoot, amaranth, a relative of quinoa, gourds, and marsh elder (Seppa, 1997). The specific types of crops cultivated by Cahokians, however, have been lost; but their descendants still exist in the area today (Gattuso, 2019). The surrounding woodland environment also provided an abundance of flora and fauna resources; Cahokia’s location contributed greatly to its abundance of food resources (Kiger, 2019).

Archaeological evidence has revealed the presence of specialized storage pits within the city, suggesting that Cahokians stored surplus crops for future use (Collins, 1990). These storage facilities were essential for food security, especially during times of crop failure or food scarcity. The careful management of such food resources allowed Cahokians to mitigate the risks associated with agricultural production and large populations. Archaeologists have also discovered evidence of a large trade network connecting Cahokia to other regions and societies (Seppa, 1997). This network enabled the exchange of resources, including food, contributing to the city’s economic prosperity, and fostering a diverse cultural exchange.

Cahokian society was intricately linked to the Cahokian diet. The abundance of food resources, as well as the development of an efficient agricultural system, allowed for the growth of a complex urban center. The surplus food production supported a hierarchical society, with leaders and elites who controlled the distribution of resources. Therefore, food played a role in not only nourishing and sustaining the Cahokian population but also in shaping social structure and hierarchy.

Additional Information:

https://www.wild-fed.com/podcast/132

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/02/10/513963490/1-000-years-ago-corn-made-this-society-big-then-a-changing-climate-destroyed-the

References:

Collins, James M. 1990. The Archaeology of the Cahokia Mounds ICT-II. https://libsysdigi.library.illinois.edu/oca/Books2008-07/archaeologyofcah00coll/archaeologyofcah00coll.pdf.

Editor. 2019. “Cahokia.” Open Ended Social Studies. July 3, 2019. https://openendedsocialstudies.org/tag/cahokia/.

Four String Farm. 2013. “The Three Sisters.” Four String Farm. Four String Farm. April 11, 2013. https://fourstringfarm.com/2010/07/09/tres-hermanas/.

Gattuso, Reina. 2019. “How Did Cahokian Farmers Feed North America’s Largest Indigenous City?” Atlas Obscura. March 28, 2019. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/native-american-farming-cahokia.

Kiger, Patrick J. 2019. “Ancient Native Americans Once Thrived in Bustling Urban Centers.” HISTORY. November 25, 2019. https://www.history.com/news/native-american-cahokia-chaco-canyon.

Person, Janice. 2023. “Uncovering Cahokia’s Food History & Forgotten Farmscapes.” Grounded by the Farm. August 30, 2023. https://groundedbythefarm.com/cahokia-food-history/.

Seppa, Nathan. 1997. “WashingtonPost.com: Ancient Cahokia.” Www.washingtonpost.com. March 12, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/daily/march/12/cahokia.htm#:~:text=Along%20with%20corn%2C%20Cahokians%20cultivated.

Yates, Diana. 2020. “Cahokia’s Rise Parallels Onset of Corn Agriculture.” News.illinois.edu. May 14, 2020. https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/808689.

When I visited the Tongore Cemetery, I observed a grave for a woman. The writing was legible and extremely clear. The gravestone didn’t list her under her own name – she was listed as “Wife of,” remembered only for her husband instead of herself, her identity erased.

This experience inspired me to look more closely at the intersection of feminism and archaeology, specifically in understanding gender. Our understanding of gender in the past significantly informs our understanding of gender and gender inequality in the present. Archaeological research and interdisciplinary approaches to this research combine to illuminate the complexities of gender in ancient societies. These insights challenge traditional narratives of gender and offer valuable teachings for addressing gender disparities in the present.

Archaeological investigations and studies have revealed the historical roots of gender roles that feed into modern inequalities. Such research highlights that “gender-equal norms passed down from one generation to the next can persist even if institutions or structures incentivize inequality, and vice versa” (Savat-Wustl, 2023). Bias in archaeological interpretations has also marginalized women’s contributions, obscuring their roles in shaping past societies. For example, if a body was discovered with weapons and armor, the body was presumed to be male; if a body was discovered with jewelry and pottery, the body was presumed to be female (Ghodsee, 2023). If weapons are found buried with a woman, they are interpreted as “symbolic” instead of being for actual use, thus erasing the identity and contributions of the female warrior (Davis-Kimball, n.d.). This method of sexing bodies enforces the gender binary and gendered stereotypes, also ignoring the contributions women made to ancient societies.

Weapons recovered from the discovery of a young female warrior

In acknowledging and rectifying these biases, we gain a more accurate understanding of the roles women played in these cultures, and in learning about our past, we learn about our present and future. These interpretations also reshape and redefine how gender was accepted and expressed in ancient societies. The discovery of a potentially non-binary Viking individual challenges rigid binary notions of gender that persist today (Henley, 2021). This discovery emphasizes the fluidity of gender identity in the past, challenging the notion that ancient societies were also limited by the gender binary.

Another critical archaeological insight is the rise of gender inequality during the Neolithic period. Research on this subject suggests that gender disparities began to appear around 8,000 years ago (University of Seville, 2019; Lewis, 2019). Societies transitioned from nomadic hunter-gathering to settled agriculture, creating set roles within each community. These roles steadily became gendered, as cave paintings also started to associate men with violence. Graves and excavated evidence support this notion, as male remains were often found with projectile wounds.

Neolithic cave paintings depicting typical methods of violence

Understanding these specific roots of gender inequality can inform current efforts to dismantle patriarchal structures and hegemonic norms. Similarly, genetic evidence has been used to trace the impact of gender inequality on ancient populations (Kousta, 2017). This research demonstrates how genetic patterns can reflect past social structures and gender-based divisions, specifically those concerning labor. Such insights help us recognize the enduring consequences of gender inequality on human populations; again, this research can help in educating our society on how to reject patriarchy.

The intersection of archaeology and feminism has played a pivotal role in reshaping our understanding of gender. Feminist gender archaeology offers a perspective that critically examines how gender dynamics influenced (and continue to influence) archaeological interpretations. This approach underscores the importance of acknowledging and addressing gender biases in research, ultimately enhancing our understanding of the past. Explicitly feminist archaeology pushes further, highlighting the potential of archaeology to challenge and deconstruct patriarchal norms. It encourages the inclusion of marginalized voices and perspectives in archaeological research, fostering a more inclusive and equitable discipline, while also maintaining the hope that archaeological interpretation might become less biased.

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Agriculture: The Cornerstone of Cahokian Society

The Archaeology of the Origins of Gender Biases