StarDate: September 27, 2001
Woodhenge
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| The tall poles of Woodhenge helped Cahokia's priests predict and celebrate important dates. |
When spring and autumn arrived in the ancient city of Cahokia, a few miles east of present-day Saint Louis, the city's chief reaffirmed his connection to the cosmos. On the equinoxes, priests watched the sunrise from inside a ring of cedar poles that served as a calendar. They saw the Sun climb into the sky behind Monks Mound, a great pile of earth topped by the chief's home and court. The Sun was reborn -- and so was the chief.
Built by the Mississippian culture, Cahokia reached its zenith around 800 or 900 years ago, when its population swelled to perhaps 20,000.
The focal point for Cahokia was Monks Mound -- the largest earthen structure in the prehistoric Americas. It covered 14 acres and rose a hundred feet into the sky. Most of it still stands today.
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| Cahokia's chief -- the earthly embodiment of the Sun god -- ruled from atop Monk's Mound, which still stands in western Illinois. |
To the west of the mound, inhabitants built a calendar circle that archaeologists named Woodhenge because of its resemblance to England's STONEhenge. The Cahokians actually built five different Woodhenge circles. Each consisted of a central Sun-watching station, surrounded by a ring of cedar poles. The Sun aligned with these poles on the solstices, equinoxes, and other important dates.
Archaeologists have rebuilt one of the rings, which spans more than 400 feet. Visitors watch the equinox sunrise from Woodhenge even today -- observing an act of nature that was a potent symbol for a long-ago culture.
Script by Damond Benningfield
Script Copyright 2001 Damond Benningfield
StarDate Copyright 2001 The University of Texas McDonald Observatory
