Building Monks Mound, Cahokia, Illinois, a.d. 800–1400

Recent soil coring around Monks Mound, Cahokia, reveals that the mound's location and construction were not optimized for stability or geotechnical efficiency. Despite being the largest single mound in ancient North America (a.d. 800–1400), its placement may accelerate deterioration due to suboptimal geological conditions. The study suggests that the Cahokians prioritized other design choices over maximizing sediment stability, indicating a departure from modern engineering standards.

Schilling, T. (2012). Building Monks Mound, Cahokia, Illinois, a.d. 800–1400. Journal of Field Archaeology, 37(4), 302–313. https://doi.org/10.1179/0093469012z.00000000027