Aztalan

Photograph. n.d. Enjoy Jefferson County. https://enjoyjeffersoncounty.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/friends-of-aztalan-state-park.jpg.

A Crucial Colony

Aztalan was an outpost of Cahokia and saw a wide range of trade come through it's walls. As one of the largest native cities in southern Wisconsin, Aztalan played a large role in the facilitating of trade relationships between Ancient Mississippians in Wisconsin and those from southern Ancient Mississippian settlements.

Photograph. n.d. The State Trunk Tour. http://statetrunktour.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/aztalan-aztalanmarker02.jpg.

Legacy of the Mississippians

Aztalan was founded by Ancient Mississippians that branched off from the main Mississippian Tradition settlement of Cahokia. Aztalan was established as a colony of Cahokia and exhibited the same style of mounds, pottery, houses and other aspects of life that were widely found among other Ancient Mississippian settlements.

Photograph. n.d. OnMilwaukee. https://onmilwaukee.com/images/articles/az/aztalanvisit/aztalanvisit_fullsize_story1.jpg.

Connection to Cahokia

Aztalan maintained a beneficial trade relationship with Cahokia and other Ancient Mississippian settlements. This is demonstrated in the wide range of products found in excavations of Aztalan. Additionally, similarities can be found between Cahokia and Aztalan with the emphasis both societies placed on religion and politics. Also like Cahokia, Aztalan was abandoned for an unknown reason.

The Site

Aztalan State Park features three platform mounds and a stockade. These mounds are equipped with stairs to allow for visitors to overlook the premises. The purpose of the three mounds is unknown, but it is theorized they were used for storage, ceremonies or as a burial site. The stockade likely served a defensive purpose, but the exact reason for the stockade is unknown

Sources -

“Middle Mississippians.” Milwaukee Public Museum. Milwaukee Public Museum. Accessed May 14, 2021. https://www.mpm.edu/research-collections/anthropology/online-collections-research/aztalan-collection/middle.

“Exploring the History of Aztalan.” Wisconsin Historical Society. Wisconsin Historical Society, April 7, 2014. https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS4051.

Header Image -

Photograph. Definition. Good Free Photos, n.d. https://images.definition.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cahokia_1.jpg?tr=w-450,dpr-3,c-at_max.

Site Images (top to bottom) -

Wilson, Craig. Photograph. September 23, 2012. Flickr. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d2/61/9d/d2619d5703b70ae68668a1a6064a4bb9.jpg.

Photograph. n.d. Weekend Sightseer . https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b0/cb/6c/b0cb6c5d687a132597d7f159cd5be884.jpg.

Photograph. n.d. UW-Madison News. https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2018/06/Aztalan_outreach18_7601-1024x681.jpg.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse