Cahokia Mounds (Illinois)--Is there a link to Mayan Culture? (power, photobucket)

[gy2020]

Last night I was watching one of those 2012 programs on the History channel and it was talking about the Mayan's having become a seafaring society and that they had traveled by boat about 2 or 3,000 miles to a small island in the Pacific and built a monument to observe celestial events. I kinda doubt it but it was an interesting documentary.

The man leading the search was talking about the Mayan culture and that it had moved into Florida, down the coast of South America, etc. It also inferred that Cakokia Mounds, near St. Louis was also settled by Mayan.

I lived near Cahokia Mounds for 7 years. Here are some of my pics and also an interesting link to various Indian cultures.



See my photobucket album:
Cahokia Mounds :: DSC00721.jpg picture by jh1882 - Photobucket

Links to Historical sites:

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/usa/cahokia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTrVZr-DLHQ

Archaeological site Pre-Columbian - World Heritage Site

What are your thoughts?

[Tex?Il?]

There is absolutely no link. The Cahokians traded extensively, but there are no artifacts found in Mississippian cultural sites that are remotely Mayan.

Other than the slow spread of Mexican derived crops (corn and beans) to north America, there really is no link.

[Oerdin]

It's related (at least culturally) to the various mound builder groups in North America but I doubt they even knew the Maya existed.

[harry chickpea]

Mounds and pyramids are ubiquitous throughout the world. Worshipping sky-gods and celestial events is one supposed reason, but mounds have other purposes as well. A mound is easily defended, as anyone who ever played king of the hill knows. A mound is a great thing to have in a floodplain. A mound that is built by hand labor is a sign of wealth, power, and success. A mound makes a great place to look out and make sure everything is going right.

Ideas have been shown to travel where the culture cannot. I can easily imagine a couple of wandering or exploring people from one culture being captured and saying something like "Well, at home we have these huge two mounds dedicated to the fertility goddess. You guys are just losers." That would start a flurry of mound building.