FORWARD
Before Illinois was a state, before the land bore names like Chicago or Cahokia, it was a canvas of ancient rivers, glacial upheaval, and human ingenuity.
This curated collection of articles offers a sweeping journey through Illinois’ prehistoric and Indigenous past, where mastodons roamed, ceremonial mounds rose from the earth, and civilizations flourished long before European contact.
These entries span millennia, from glacial melt that birthed Lake Michigan to the sacred complexity of Cahokia, where Woodhenges, burial mounds, and ceremonial roads spoke in a language older than written record. You’ll encounter archaeological insights, Indigenous narratives, and lost histories—some forgotten, others actively erased—that demand thoughtful recovery and respectful retelling.
From the enigmatic effigy mounds of Lake View to the sprawling complexity of Cahokia’s Woodhenges and Monks Mound, these stories illuminate a world where myth and archaeology intertwine. You’ll uncover fossil mysteries, ancient fortifications, and the shifting borders of rivers shaped by glacial melt and seismic force. You’ll meet the Hopewell, the Illinois Confederacy, and even explore the provocative question: Could a Native American tribe be one of the Lost Tribes of Israel?
Whether you're drawn to the drama of megafloods, the quiet power of ceremonial roads, or the enduring mystery of the Piasa Bird, this archive invites you to rethink what you know about the Midwest. It’s not just flyover country—it’s sacred ground, layered with stories waiting to be unearthed.
So dig in. The past is not buried—it’s calling.
Ancient Illinois History: Beginning on the Supercontinent of Pangaea.
Ancient Illinois Indian Mounds - A Technical Examination.
Ancient Lake Chicago became Lake Michigan as glaciers retreated over 14,000 years ago.
Archaeologists in East St. Louis, Illinois, dig to find an ancient civilization that vanished.
Cahokia's Monks Mound was built over decades, not 250 years as previously thought.
Cahokia Mounds and the Indian Village of Cahokia.
Cahokia Mounds and the Indian Village of Cahokia.
Cahokia Mounds, the Monk and the Earthquake in the Illinois Territory, 1811-1812.
Cahokia: What Caused the Fire that Destroyed this Ancient City?
Cahokia: What Caused the Fire that Destroyed this Ancient City?
Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals of Illinois.
Discovery of the Indian Effigy Mound in Lake View, Chicago, Perhaps before 1000 AD
Discovery of the Indian Effigy Mound in Lake View, Chicago, Perhaps before 1000 AD
Fossils 310M years old "H" & "Y" Animals discovered at Mazon Creek, Braidwood, IL.
How Glacial Melt & Earthquakes Realigned Ancient Rivers and Changed Illinois Borders.
How Glacial Melt & Earthquakes Realigned Ancient Rivers and Changed Illinois Borders.
"The Illinois" Confederacy, Grand Village History (aka La Vantum; Old Kaskaskia Village)
"The Illinois" Confederacy, History in the Illinois Country.
"The Illinois" Confederacy, Indians bid for power in the late 1600s based on slavery.
"The Illinois" Confederacy, Massacred at Grand Village by the Iroquois and its Aftermath.
"The Illinois" Confederacy, History in the Illinois Country.
"The Illinois" Confederacy, Indians bid for power in the late 1600s based on slavery.
"The Illinois" Confederacy, Massacred at Grand Village by the Iroquois and its Aftermath.
Indian Trails - Green Bay Trail, aka "Old Jambeau Trail," Chicago to Green Bay, WI.
Indian Trails - The Vincennes Trace.
Indian Village, Found in 1993, Buried Under the Sanctuary Golf Course in New Lenox, IL.
Indian Trails - The Vincennes Trace.
Indian Village, Found in 1993, Buried Under the Sanctuary Golf Course in New Lenox, IL.
Is a Native American tribe one of the Lost Tribes of Israel? Exploring the possibility.
The Legend of the Piasa "Bird," carved and painted on a bluff in today's Alton, Illinois.
The Legend of the Piasa "Bird," carved and painted on a bluff in today's Alton, Illinois.
Lincoln College and the City of Lincoln, Illinois.
Looters of Prehistoric Archeological Sites a Big Problem in Illinois and Mississippi Valley.
Mammoth and Mastodon Ivory Sales Scam in Illinois.
Looters of Prehistoric Archeological Sites a Big Problem in Illinois and Mississippi Valley.
Mammoth and Mastodon Ivory Sales Scam in Illinois.
Out Of Place ARTifacts (OOPArt) found in Illinois.
Paleo-Indian Migration to North America & Ready/Lincoln Hills Site, Jersey County, Illinois
Paleo-Indians of the Albany Mounds, the Hopewell Tribe, in Albany, Illinois.
Piney Creek Ravine, near Chester, Illinois, an extensive collection of prehistoric rock art.
Prehistoric Shark Nursery Fossils Found in Illinois.
Paleo-Indian Migration to North America & Ready/Lincoln Hills Site, Jersey County, Illinois
Paleo-Indians of the Albany Mounds, the Hopewell Tribe, in Albany, Illinois.
Piney Creek Ravine, near Chester, Illinois, an extensive collection of prehistoric rock art.
Prehistoric Shark Nursery Fossils Found in Illinois.
