Civilization mississippienne

The civilization mississippienne developed between 9th and the 17th century, in the east of the the Mississippi, on the current territory of the the United States. It can be attached to the culture of the Mound Builders, because it produced large Tertre S funerary. It started to open out in the valley of the Mississippi, from where its name. It seems that it completely disappeared before the arrival from the European colonists in North America.

Agriculture

The people of the Mississippi made push their harvests in small gardens which they cultivated using simple agrarian instruments. They nourished corn, bean, marrows, seeds of sunflower. They supplemented their meals by nuts, bays and fruits like by game (hind, turkey, small animals). They fished fish, shells and tortoises in the many rivers and the lakes of the area.

Craft industry

Civilization mississippienne left beautiful testimonys of its craft industry: the potteries and ceramics used shells. The Amerindians did not know the techniques of the metallurgy. They could nevertheless work of metals such as copper and gold.

Trade

Civilization mississippienne extended its sales network of the Rocky Mountains to the west, with the Atlantic Ocean in the east.

Structure

The Amerindians of civilization mississippienne do not control the techniques of the stone architecture. Their hillocks and their habitat were built out of wood and ground.

Beliefs

It seems that civilization mississipienne rested on solar and agricultural worships (ceremonies around corn), influenced by the religions of Mésoamérique.

Chronology

The chronology is difficult to establish fault of written documents. It varies according to the sites and the areas.

Early Mississippian cultures : sedentarisation, agriculture, centralization.
The Middle Mississippian period : apogee, Cahokia, worships (1200/1400).
The Late Mississippian period : after 1400, migrations, wars.

List archeological sites of civilization mississippienne

nonexhaustive List:

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