Central Mississippian Culture

During much of the prehistoric period a culture had arisen and thrived in the east section of the United States. This culture has become known as the Mississippian culture and it thrived from 900 A.D. into the eighteenth century. The Mississippian peoples were primarily agriculturist, but also depended on hunting and gathering as a means of subsistence. Mounds were constructed both for individual housing and for ceremonial temples which honored ancestral leaders and religious figures. Artifacts from this area include shell gorgets, copper plates and axes, and pottery depicting local deities. This period has been claimed to be one of the beginnings of chiefdoms in the southeast, which is also represented within the Mississippian culture by the stratified mounds and burial sites.

Mississippian Link:

Mississippi Indian's Culture and Ceremonies

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