Interpreting context and chronology of Cahokia-Caddo mythic female stone figures

Recent archaeological discoveries have revealed that twelfth-century Cahokian female stone figures, sourced from unique flint clay near St. Louis, hold distinct roles in religious and social structures across regions. Unlike their counterparts in the Caddo region, where they appear as mortuary inclusions and potential medicine bundle components, these figures at Cahokia are integral to a formalized religious cult central to the polity's power. The study demonstrates that these mythic female figures cannot be uniformly interpreted; instead, their significance varies based on regional context, challenging simplistic iconographic or ethnohistoric analyses. By examining secure archaeological contexts and geologic sourcing, researchers have uncovered nuanced insights into how these objects functioned within the complex interplay of religion, social hierarchy, and politics in pre-Columbian societies.

Emerson, T. E. (2022). Interpreting context and chronology of Cahokia-Caddo mythic female stone figures. Southeastern Archaeology, 41(4), 203–215. https://doi.org/10.1080/0734578x.2022.2119010