Dickson Mounds facts for kids
Museum at the site
|
|
 Location in Illinois
|
|
| Location | Lewistown, Illinois, Fulton County, Illinois,  USA |
|---|---|
| Region | Fulton County, Illinois |
| Coordinates | 40°21′2.16″N 90°6′57.24″W / 40.3506000°N 90.1159000°W |
| History | |
| Founded | 800 CE |
| Abandoned | 1250 CE |
| Cultures | Middle Mississippian culture |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1937 |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural styles | burial mounds, platform mound |
| Architectural details | Number of monuments: |
|
Dickson Mounds
|
|
| NRHP reference No. | 72000457 |
| Added to NRHP | May 5, 1972 |
| Responsible body: State of Illinois | |
Dickson Mounds is an important Native American historical site. It includes a settlement and a group of burial mounds. It is located near Lewistown, Illinois, in Fulton County. The site sits on a low hill overlooking the Illinois River.
This large site has at least two cemeteries. It also has ten burial mounds built one on top of another. There is also a platform mound, which is a flat-topped mound. People lived at Dickson Mounds from about 800 CE until after 1250 CE.
The site is named after Don Dickson, a chiropractor. He started digging there in 1927. He then opened a private museum. This museum used to show 237 uncovered skeletons. However, this display was closed in 1992 by Governor Jim Edgar. This was done because of concerns from Native American groups.
Don Dickson found the burial mounds on his family farm. Instead of moving the bones, he carefully removed only the dirt around them. He first covered his dig site with a tent. Later, he built a proper building over it. This became his private museum.
The Dickson Mounds Museum was built on the site in 1972. The state of Illinois runs this museum. It teaches visitors about the lives and culture of Native Americans. These people lived in the Illinois River valley for 12,000 years. This period goes back to the last Ice Age. The museum is part of the Illinois State Museum system.
Contents
Exploring Ancient Life at Dickson Mounds
Most hunter-gatherer groups moved around a lot. They often lived a nomadic life, meaning they didn't stay in one place. But the Illinois River valley was very rich in fish, shellfish, and game. This made it possible for people to settle down. They could live in one place for longer periods.
Archaeological studies of these sites teach us a lot. We learn about how Native Americans lived long ago. We also discover the types of tools and technology they used.
A large area of land near the river is being restored. This is part of the Emiquon Project. The Emiquon wetlands provided much of the food. This food was eaten by the people living at Dickson Mounds. In 2009, Michigan State University did an excavation. They found pieces of pottery and arrowheads. They also found the foundations of houses. These findings date back to about 1300 CE.
Burials and Displays
Some of the people who lived here were buried at Dickson Mounds. Their skeletons were carefully dug up. They were shown to the public from the 1930s until 1992. At that time, the burial display was closed. This was a big decision made due to Native American concerns.
Experts believe there are at least 3,000 burials at this site. The older burials were in mounds built as late as the 800s. Later burials were in separate cemeteries. This shows a change over time. Early communities focused on burial mounds. Later, towns grew around platform mounds. The communities themselves became the center of life.
After the display was closed, the museum was updated. It now has several galleries. These galleries show the history of the site. For example, the River Valley Gallery shows how people lived since the last Ice Age. The "Reflections on Three Worlds" Gallery explains how experts learn about ancient cultures.
Twenty-four of the burials were left in place after being uncovered. They were displayed inside a special museum area for a long time. But Native American groups felt this was disrespectful. So, the display was closed in 1992. Now, three excavated homes are open for visitors. The museum shows tell the story of ancient life in the area.
Health and Daily Life of Ancient People
The burial sites at Dickson Mounds show us a lot. They represent all known periods of Native American culture in Illinois. Scientists studied over 800 Native American skeletons from these sites. They learned about how people's health changed over time. This was especially true as they shifted from hunting to farming.
From Hunting to Farming
Early settlements at Dickson Mounds (around 950-1050 CE) focused on hunting and gathering. This way of life gave people a varied and healthy diet. At this time, the population was small. They traded little with others. They mostly lived in seasonal camps.
From 1050-1175 CE, Dickson Mounds began to change. People started to mix hunting and gathering with farming. They grew crops, especially corn. The population also began to settle down more permanently. They also started to trade more with other groups.
From 1175 CE to about 1350 CE, the population grew a lot. People built complex, permanent settlements. These changes happened because they relied more on farming. They also expanded their long-distance trade.
Health Changes Over Time
These big changes in lifestyle affected people's health. Moving from small, moving hunter-gatherer groups to large, settled farming groups had consequences. Scientists looked at bone growth, tooth development, and signs of disease. They found that health declined after farming became common.
Compared to earlier hunter-gatherers, farmers at Dickson Mounds had more health problems. Their skeletons showed more tooth defects. They also had more signs of iron-deficiency anemia. There were more bone lesions (damaged areas on bones). They also had more problems with their spines.
The decline in health happened for several reasons. Relying more on farming meant a less varied diet. This diet was also less nutritious. Farming also meant harder physical work in the fields. More crowded settlements made it easier for diseases to spread. Some experts also think trade played a role. Trading with larger groups like Cahokia might have meant Dickson Mounds people gave away needed food for other items.
How Society Was Organized
Studying the burials at Dickson Mounds also tells us about their society. It shows that their society had different levels of importance. The items a person was buried with often showed their social status.
For example, many tools, copper ornaments, and items from far away suggested high status. Burials with pots, spoons, and beads were more common. These items suggested a more modest social rank.
Age and gender also played a role in status. This is not common in all societies with different social levels. Burials were grouped by age and gender. For instance, one group had older men with high status. Another group had younger people with lower status. Specific items showed the status of different age and gender groups. Tools often showed the status of men. Cultural and religious items, along with jewelry, showed the status of women. Seashells often showed the status of children.
Differences in health and height also showed social divisions. Skeletons of children from higher-ranking families were taller and healthier. This was likely because they had better diets. They also probably did less hard work than children from lower classes.
Trade Networks
By 1200 CE, Dickson Mounds was part of a large trade network. They traded with many different groups. These included people from the Plains area, the Caddoan area, and Cahokia.
Cahokia often provided luxury items to Dickson Mounds. These included copper ornaments and shell necklaces. In return, Dickson Mounds traded food items like meat and fish. To trade food for luxury goods, the people at Dickson Mounds had to produce extra food. This led to more farming. This increased farming then had effects on their health and society.
Why Did Dickson Mounds Decline?
The people at Dickson Mounds seemed to disappear. This happened between the late 1200s and mid-1300s. No one knows exactly why. Possible reasons include warfare, climate change, or widespread diseases.
Climate change might have harmed their farming. This was especially true for corn, which they relied on heavily. The growth of the population and trade also increased contact. This could have led to more infectious diseases spreading. These factors could all be reasons for the decline of Dickson Mounds.
Recognizing Dickson Mounds
The site was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
Images for kids
-
Museum at the site
-
A map showing approximate areas of various Mississippian and related cultures. Dickson Mounds is located near the center of this map in the upper part of the Middle Mississippi area.
-
Ogden-Fettie Mound Group
