Steed-Kisker culture facts for kids

The Steed-Kisker culture was a group of ancient people who lived in the Great Plains region of what is now the United States. Archaeologists use the term "cultural phase" to describe them, meaning they shared similar ways of life. These people were part of a larger group known as the Central Plains Village tradition, which existed during the Plains Village period.

These prehistoric people lived mainly around the area of modern-day Kansas City, Missouri. They were there for several hundred years, from about 900 CE to 1400 CE.

Who Were the Steed-Kisker People?

From about 1000 CE to 1250 CE, it's believed that the Steed-Kisker people were originally farmers. They likely moved from the Cahokia region, which was located east of the Mississippi River. As they settled in their new home, they learned to adapt to the local environment and available materials. This led them to change some of their traditional customs.

Connecting Ancient Cultures

The Steed-Kisker culture is important because it seems to connect the people of the Plains Village period with the larger Middle Mississippian culture. This connection also involved a big trading network that spread across a wide area.

Evidence of Their Lives

At first, archaeologists found many spear points and arrowheads in the Kansas City area that looked like those from Cahokia. This made them think there was a trading link between the two groups.

More Recent Discoveries

More recently, new evidence has shown an even stronger connection. This evidence includes:

• Special ways of building houses called "wall trench house construction."
• Finding many trade materials that came from other places, not locally.
• Evidence of two ancient temple mound communities along the lower Missouri River. Sadly, these mounds were destroyed in the 1800s when railroads were being built.

These discoveries suggest that people from Cahokia might have settled directly in the Steed-Kisker area a long time ago.

Important Steed-Kisker Sites

Several places are very important for understanding the Steed-Kisker culture.

Famous Archaeological Sites

The Cloverdale archaeological site near St. Joseph, Missouri is one of the most important. It shows that people lived there around 1200 CE. Other sites where Steed-Kisker people lived include:

• The Crabtree Site (known as 23CL164)
• The Katz Site (known as 23CL163)
• The Steed-Kisker Site, which is the place the culture is named after.

Where Was Cahokia?

Cahokia was a very large and important ancient city. It was located more than 320 miles away by water from the Cloverdale site.

Cahokia's Location and Influence

Cahokia was near a small river that flowed into the Illinois River, east of the Mississippi River. This area is in present-day Illinois, close to where the city of St. Louis would later be built. Cahokia had a huge area of influence, reaching along many major rivers.