Thursday, October 9, 2014

Students unearth remains of sweat lodge at Cahokia Mounds

1024px-Monks_Mound_in_July


A team of students from Saint Louis University have uncovered the remains of a burned sweat lodge at Cahokia Mounds in Illinois.


Generally, a sweat lodge is a domed hut made of natural materials. They were — and continue to be — used by American Indians as steam baths for physical cleansing as well as for ritual purification.


The sweat lodge discovered this summer is three meters in diameter and superimposes the corner of a large rectangular structure. Within the basin of the sweat lodge several large deposits of charcoal suitable for radiocarbon dating were found. As word spread of the discovery, archaeologists in the area came to visit and were impressed by the careful work done by SLU students.


[Full story]


Story: Saint Louis University | Photo: Wikimedia Commons



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