MIDDLE PHASE: The archaeological term for the highest development of the [Mississippi] [pattern] in the United States. In Illinois it is represented by the Cahokia and [Cumberland] subcultures.
MISSISSIPPI: The major archaeological [pattern] that succeeded the earlier [Woodland] in most of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains and High Plains and that was still in existence in some parts of this country as late as 1700 A.D. It is characterized by relatively intensive [plant-raising], political government, walled villages, temples (or sacred groves) and a priesthood, semi- to permanent dwellings, pottery of varied shapes, with globular bodies and secondary features, the bow and arrow.
MODOC ROCK SHELTER: An ancient settlement of [Archaic] peoples in Randolph County, Illinois, dating from 8000 to 2100 B.C. See Bibliography under Deuel, and Fowler and Winters.
MOUND: Any rise or hill of earth and/or [stone] that resulted from some activity of man, such as refuse mound, shell mound, burial mound, temple mound, etc. See [BURIAL], [EFFIGY], [TEMPLE].
MOUND BUILDERS: A term having little significance, meaning any group that erected mounds. In American [archaeology] it sometimes refers specifically to Hopewellians, to Mississippians or to both.
MYTHOLOGY: See [SACRED TRADITION].
OBSIDIAN: Volcanic glass, a material imported by Hopewellians possibly from Wyoming. Rare in Illinois.
PALEO-INDIAN (See [Clovis] and [Folsom]): Hunters of big game who roamed over North America in glacial times.
PATTERN: The largest archaeological unit in the McKern Classification System.
PECKING: The process (other than chipping) by which a [stone] artifact was brought to general shape by breaking off small particles with a stone hammer.