Question

What archaeological evidence taught scholars about the culture of the Mississippians?
totem poles decorated with animal symbols,
large earthen mounds built for religious purposes, housing complexes built into the side of cliffs, kayaks designed to hunt animals over long distances

Answer 1

The archaeological evidence that taught scholars about the culture of the Mississippians includes **large earthen mounds built for religious purposes**.

The Mississippian culture, which thrived in the southeastern United States from approximately 800 CE to 1600 CE, is well-known for its construction of large, complex earthen mounds, often serving as platforms for temples, residences of elites, or as burial sites. These mounds are often associated with ceremonial and religious activities, indicating a sophisticated social and religious organization.

The other items you mentioned, such as totem poles, cliff dwellings, and kayaks, are not characteristic of the Mississippian culture. Totem poles are more associated with Native cultures of the Pacific Northwest, cliff dwellings are more often linked to the Ancestral Puebloans in the Southwest, and kayaks are less typical in the context of Mississippian societies, which were more focused on riverine and agricultural environments.