The Archaic Culture (8000 - 1000 BC)
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The Archaic peoples of the New World were the first agriculturalists in North America and domesticated a large number of crops that served as a foundation for later cultural groups. They lived in semipermanent villages and obtained their food in almost equal parts from farming and hunting/gathering.
Beginning with the extremely early (and unique) Poverty Point culture in Louisiana (c. 1700 - 600 BC) these hunter/gatherer/agriculturalist people are known to have built mounds. Excepting the anomalous Poverty Point site - which may be lunar oriented - this culture built simple, small burial mounds on bluff tops and promontories overlooking river valleys. Examples of these funeral sites are found throughout southern Illinois - particularly along the Mississippi river - and elsewhere. None are no more than two or three feet high and perhaps fifteen feet in diameter. Most are smaller.