Issues Related to Maintaining and Excavating at
Cahokia
by
Tiffany Thomas
- A number of issues must be addressed in the development and maintenance of a site
such as Cahokia Mounds Historic Site. Below I have discussed those having to do with the
use of technology and have also presented some ongoing ethical questions.
- For as long as people have been living in groups, the moral regulation of behavior is
essential for the well-being of the group. Cahokia Mounds was first developed in the 8th
century by pre-Columbian cultures. The village later evolved into a large group. These
people hunted, fished, and cultivated the soil. Archaeologists have uncovered much from
life there. But ethical issues still face further excavations. Much could be learned from
sites and graves still to be excavated, but archaeologists must be more than just
excavators and analysts. They must also be diplomats and must answer the questions of
various social groups regarding disturbing the resting places of the dead. Because of
ethical issues, laws regulating excavation have been passed. More importantly, new
technologies are being employed to obtain information without disturbing sites.
- Remote sensing is the process of obtaining information about land, water, or an object
by the use of instruments carried aboard aircraft or satellites. Remote sensing systems
are used to survey, map, and monitor the resources and environment of the earth. There are
many types of remote sensing devices. Some systems record electromagnetic energy. Many
others take photographs with cameras. Cahokia Mounds archaeologists try to do the least
destructive technique when excavating a site, thus this non-destructive technique is
useful.
Check out the BIRDMAN TABLET, now the official logo of
the Cahokia Historic Site.
PHOTO COPYRIGHT CAHOKIA MOUNDS HISTORIC SITE
(ART GROSSMANN PHOTO EDITIONS)
- Aerial photography is the process of taking pictures from a high altitude and viewing
the differences in the land. There is a special film which can be used to see the
differences in the soil or of land formations. The stock cable and several trenches at
Cahokia were found by this method.
- Electromagnetic conductivity is an instrumentation which records the variations in the
moisture content of the soil. This process allows the ability to read electronic signals.
Electromagnetic conductivity is a great method for directing archaeologists to spots to
dig. It also measures soil density, which can be used in predicting what exists below the
surface at a particular site. Density might yield evidence of inhabitation at a given
location.
- Flotation is the most important method of mechanical concentration today. Flotation is a
modified gravity process in which finely ground ore is mixed with a liquid. The floating
of either metal or gangue is aided by an oil. this allows heavier substances to float on
the water. Flotation has been used within Cahokia several times. The recovery of seeds,
animal bones, and other remains can then be traced back to specific tribal activities.
Water flotation is another method used. This is done by putting dirt into a screen basket
and letting the carbonized artifacts float to the top. Chemical flotation is the one used
most by archaeologists today. This method allows items to float with greater ease than in
water.
- The computer has been a significant addition to archaeology. Tabulation and
documentation of data and artifacts can be performed with much greater ease. Everything
found is weighed, measured, and described and then data fed into a computer. The use of
the computer in field work is still in the infancy stage. But contacts between
archaeologists and sharing of information can definitely be of assistance in the acquiring
of knowledge.
For a view of a dig in progress
PHOTO COPYRIGHT CAHOKIA MOUNDS HISTORIC SITE - (ART GROSSMANN PHOTO EDITIONS)
THE FOLLOWING WEB LINKS WILL HELP YOU OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION ON CAHOKIA.
1. INTERPRETIVE CENTER
http://library.wustl.edu/~spec/archives/aslaa/cahokia-mounds.html
2.CAHOKIA LINKS
http://www.state.il.us/HPA/CAHOKIAM.HTM
http://medicine.wustl.edu/~kellerk/welcome.html
http://www.site.org/cahomo.html
http://members.aol.com/GUNOI/cahokia.html
http://www.cr.nps.gov/aad/feature/cahok1.htm
3. ABSTRACTS
http://www.he.tdl.com/~archaeol/9605/abstracts/cahokia.html
