Earlier this month ISAS, the Prairie Research Institute, and the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC) invited local and state legislators to participate in a site visit of a large 14th - 15th century Native American village located within the Forest Preserves of Cook County.
The village was the first archaeological site officially recorded in this portion of Illinois and contained some of the earliest European trade goods yet identified in the state.
Most of the site has been destroyed by urban expansion, but a portion is preserved within the FPCC. This visit focused on assessing the site’s integrity, recording valuable archaeological information, and repairing the damage to the site.
This year ISAS discovered not only the remains of the pottery cooking pots, but also hundreds of pieces of stone tool manufacturing debris, animal bone food residues, and a unique grinding stone set sitting on a possible ancient house floor. As part of the investigation, ISAS staff sought to answer long-standing research questions about the nature of the domestic habitation at the site.
Although much of Cook County’s archaeological record has been lost due to urban development, the FPCC contains nearly half of the known remaining archaeological sites in the county. ISAS and FPCC staff have committed to the careful management and preservation of these remaining archaeological resources that will enable future generations to continue to learn about the rich cultural heritage of Cook County and the state of Illinois.
The contributions of amateur archaeologists, citizen scientists, and everyday Illinoisans often aid ongoing and future archaeological research.
If you think you have found an artifact, please contact us at isas@illinois.edu or on Facebook.
