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Twin Heroes And American Indian Royalty
Twin heroes
Chapter 7
History reveals a significant relationship between Cahokia’s Bing Bang and effigy mound culture to the north. Cahokia's used the mound that was a mortuary temple. Cahokia Big ban altered religious beliefs and legendary stories. The extraordinary practices of Cahokia's such as human sacrifices prevailed in the mound. The stories of evil and heroism are also linked to the effigy mound. The new religion emerging in the south was transmitted to the north. "the end of what they call the Effigy Mound culture" (pp. 86). The bid bang influenced the people of the Cahokia culture.
Gotschall Rockshelter represents an archaeological mystery that was a rock as used for the formation of the shrine, built by skilled artists. It has a link with the Red Hon myths. The debate reveals, "one of the characters was the son of Red Horn or him who wears human heads as earrings" (pp. 88). Rockshelter represents the old myths and beliefs of the Chahokians. Rockshelter was a word used for setting initial place closer to Red Horn. Gotschall contributes to the debate because it explains the belief of ancestors of Iowa and Ho-Chunk.
Gotschall Rockshelter is located in southwestern Wisconsin until 1050. A small sandstone Rockshelter was found at the location of Gotschall. The Red Horn Panel is the picture of the cave that transmits the old traditions and customs of Cahokian's. The picture tells the story of Red Horn confronting the giants along with his friends. It is called Red Horn because the entire body is red in the painting.
There are many common features of Gotschall Rockshelter and mortuary remains of mound 72. Both refer to the burial having relevance with the Cahokian's. these burials portray the history of the Cahokia community and their customs. Both are located in Wisconsin and reflects the skills of the artists of that time. The "painted back wall of the grotto, a shallow cave technically a Rockshelter hidden at the dead end of a small rocky stream value” (pp. 85). Both represent the culture of the Cahokian's in paintings. The sandstone conveys the myths and stories of these people. The artists have used their skills for creating human figures inappropriate manner such as the scenes where people are confronting each other. The mound 72 and Rockshelter convey themes of the historical moments when Cahokians fought with the neighbours at Wisconsin. Mound 72 contains the painted imagery of human remains.
Ho-Chunk elders tell the story of Red Horn saga including the adventures of Red Horn. Their stories focused on a superhuman hero named Red Horn. He was also known as Indian legend who fought against the giants. He encountered the water spirits and wore faced on his ears.
Red Horn is a mythical figure having connections with Mesoamerica. The cave art style and skills of Cahokian artists exhibits relevance with Mesoamerican culture. It is also revealed that they were members of the political-religious movement.
The Cahokian culture has origins in Mesoamerica. The archaeological sites portray legendary stories of Red Horn. The archaeological context conveys the power of the mid-eleventh century. Heroic characters were considered as supernatural and powerful that were capable of fighting against the spirits.
Chapter 8
Dark clay-hipped ridge tops contained the remains of humans after their deaths. Ridgetop mounds presented a unique view of entombed remains of humans. It contained skeletons. Such scenes reflect the burial rites of Cahokia. Most of the bodies conveyed the themes of sacrificial victims. The bodies were buried with their feet on the northwest and covered by thousands of marine shells. Disk beads appeared in the form of a falcon. The faces of the dead bodies were placed in a downward direction. Cahokia follows beaded burial rites. The Birdman was buried in a way that represented good graves.
The theoretical paradigms presented a shifted view of Cahokia. No pre-Mississippian precedent exists that could provide a clear interpretation of this culture. The archaeological information is utilized for interpreting the customs and traditions of Cahokia. The original interpretation of Cahokia may be different from the archaeological because they emphasized on the legendary tales. The archaeological interpretation stresses in the burial and the religious values of the Cahokia.
Sub-mound 51 contained subdivision of sixty houses that covered the part of Grand Plaza. The borrow pit was constructed alongside the Grand Plaza and was established at the lower stage of Monks Mound. The gash was dug into the earth and refilled after every few years. the pit was 195 feet long with the width of 62 feet and depth of 10 feet. The nine hundred years of waste was used for slow rotting. Religious objects and residues were also visible at mound 51.
The birth of new Cahokia can be seen as a confederation of a state of government. This involved "cult-like religious practices including rulers impersonating and making sacrifices to their Gods" (pp. 110). The government had the power of controlling labor and that undermined kinship and community ties. Labor was disposed of as the rulers find fit. The political and economic realities of the region were transformed.
The red stone craving represents the themes of Cahokia myths and culture such as rock walls woven in impersonator costume. Significant differences prevailed among male and female gender. The women were sacrificed periodically towards the south of the Gand Plaza at mound 72. Women that sacrificed themselves are considered to be of more importance.
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