Lamb Site facts for kids

The Lamb Site (also known as 11SC24) is an important archaeological site found in the central Illinois River Valley. Digging at this site started in the 1990s. Archaeologists wanted to learn how the local Native American groups in the area were influenced by the powerful Mississippian culture and the people from Cahokia.

This happened in the 1000s and 1100s A.D., long before Christopher Columbus came to America. Native American groups in the Midwest began to change their ways of life. They adopted new ideas about their beliefs, how their societies worked, and how they traded goods. The Lamb Site helps us understand these big changes.

Where is the Lamb Site?

The Lamb Site is located in the central Illinois River Valley. This area has many oak and hickory forests, along with open prairie lands. The soil here is very good for farming. People could grow many different kinds of fruits and maize (which is corn). The weather in this region is mild, with a normal amount of rain each year. This made it a good place for people to live and farm.

Who were the Cahokians?

Cahokia was a very large and important city of Native Americans. It was located near the Mississippi River in what is now Illinois. Before Columbus arrived, Cahokia was one of the biggest and most powerful groups in the United States.

Around 1050 to 1100 A.D., the Cahokia people made many changes. Their political system, social groups, and even their buildings changed. For example, public areas and homes became separate. They also started building houses in new ways, using special wall trenches. They improved how they made pottery, using different materials and shapes for jars.

These changes led to a more organized society. As the Cahokia people moved north, their traditions spread. They kept their main ideas but adapted them to new places. This is how the Mississippian way of life influenced other groups, like those at the Lamb Site.

Digging at the Lamb Site

In the 1990s, archaeologists Glenn and Mary Hanning led the excavations at the Lamb Site. They found many interesting things, including tools, pottery, and remains of plants and animals. They worked in two separate areas and found 33 special spots, called "features."

This excavation was called a "salvage excavation." This means the site was found by accident during construction by Lafe and Dorothy Lamb. Because of the construction, there was a risk that important historical items could be destroyed. So, archaeologists quickly worked to save what they could.

They dug up the 33 features shown on their site map. They also found many artifacts just lying on the ground surface.

What Did They Find?

Archaeologists found different types of items at the Lamb Site:

• Tools: Items used for daily tasks.
• Ceramics: Pieces of pottery and vessels.
• Botanical remains: Parts of plants, like seeds or wood.
• Faunal remains: Bones or other parts of animals.

Pottery Clues

The pottery found at the Lamb Site tells us a lot about the people who lived there. It showed influences from the Mississippian culture, but also local styles.

• About 63% of the potsherds (broken pieces of pottery) looked like the style used by the Cahokia people.
• About 35% of the potsherds kept their local "Bauer Branch" style.
• A very small number (less than 1%) showed a mix of both styles.

This mix of styles shows that the people at the Lamb Site were influenced by the Cahokians, but they also kept some of their own traditions.

Special Features

Archaeologists found several pit features and areas for storing food.

• Cooking Pits: Some pits showed signs of fire and had fire-cracked rocks. This means they were likely used as roasting pits or earth ovens for cooking food.
• Food Storage: Other pits were used for storing food. These storage pits were found separate from the living areas. They were often grouped together and were deep, suggesting they held large amounts of food, especially maize.

Why is the Lamb Site Important?

The Lamb Site, along with other places in the central Illinois River Valley, is very important to archaeologists. It helps them understand how the powerful Cahokia people influenced other Native American groups in the Midwest.

By studying these sites, researchers can learn about the complex ways these societies were organized. They can understand the political and social structures that existed long before Europeans arrived in America. The Lamb Site gives us a peek into the daily lives and cultural changes of these ancient people.