ANCIENT AND PREHISTORIC ILLINOIS ARTICLES








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 Chicago Indian Mounds. 
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.