Introduction
Mississippian Period
• Telephone to the Great Spirit
• Mississippian triangulars
• Cahokia
The Woodland Period
• Late to middle Woodland
• Late to middle Woodland
ceramics
Archaic Period
• Nebo Hill - Our areas
indiginous culture
The Mercer Site
• A multli-occupational site
and map.
Remnants
• Fishing River's
disappearing past
Contact Me
Home
|
The Telephone to the Great Spirit
500 years ago the Mississipian people here used these pipes in the second oldest native religous custom. Their personal connection to the Great Spirit.
The pipe pictured was made of Catlinite also know as Minnesota Pipe stone. This valued resource that was traded from its origin in Minnesota to Missouri represents the existence of extensive trade.
These pipes went through an evolution of design from their earliest appearance in the early woodland period of the Adena culture. This was around 200 BC. The Adena made simple platform pipes that later became quite artistic in design with animal effigies and a wide array of styles and materials. From this point the practice of using these ceremonially and commonly became widespread among native cultures. Many different substances were smoked. Locally the inner bark of the Slippery or Red Elm was one of these materials scrapped and dried to use in the pipes.
Return to top of page
|