The abandoned ancient city in the US is larger than Paris and London.

Cahokia is larger than Paris and has been abandoned in remarkably intact condition.

Thousands of years ago, massive pyramids were built in southern Illinois (USA). This modern-day structure stretched from the Mississippi River swamps to small villages deep inland. Flourishing from the 900s onwards, the city's fame began to spread. Many people came to attend the festivals and decided to stay.

Rebuild the city model.

At its peak, in 1050, the city's population reached 30,000. It was the largest city that ever existed, far exceeding the size of Paris or London.

The most iconic structure is the Monk's Tower, located in the city center, standing 30 meters tall with three levels. Voices from the top level can be heard throughout the entire area. Further to the west is a circle of large wooden pillars known as Woodhenge (the stone equivalent of Stonehenge), used to measure the seasons based on the position of the sun.

Downtown.

Despite its development, the city's name was quickly forgotten. Its culture was simply known as Mississippian.

When Europeans discovered Illinois in the 17th century, the city had been abandoned for hundreds of years. The area had been occupied by the Cahokia tribe, and the Europeans decided to use this name, even though the Cahokia had no connection to the ancient civilization.

The site of the modern-day monastery is now just a small hill.

By 1400, the entire population of Cahokia had disappeared, leaving the city empty. To unravel the mystery, an archaeological team including Dr. Sarah Baires from Eastern Connecticut University and Melissa Baltus from the University of Toledo carefully excavated layers of earth and stone, discovering house foundations, garbage dumps, and burial mounds.

Focusing their excavation on the southwest side of the Monk's Temple, the archaeological team realized that this was no ordinary site. It was filled with artifacts and even skeletal remains used in rituals, along with evidence of the city's collapse in its final years.

A drinking cup used in religious ceremonies.

Within this 8.9 square kilometer area lies a special attraction for scientists. Here, a triangular ceramic vessel was found containing a caffeinated cocoa drink used to induce hallucinations during rituals. The entire city was surrounded by small moats. A mound was built with a path leading inside, where at least two sacrificial ceremonies were held.

Mud houses are an ancient tradition in North America, predating the Cahokia by thousands of years. The first inhabitants to construct this type of dwelling were in Louisiana 5,500 years ago, and traces of this construction still remain today. The Cahokia people must have known about these sites and wanted to quickly create similar temples and houses.

The only difference is that in Cahokia, these houses were built on top of the old nomadic-style houses. The reason for this change may be due to the astronomical event of 1054, when a supernova explosion illuminated the sky for many days and nights. Religious leaders may have decided that this was the time to transform the city's structure.

The objects gradually became visible beneath the soil.

Furthermore, the "government" system here is not a single supreme ruler, but rather many leaders of small groups who carry out farming and cultivation. Cahokia houses are decorated in vibrant colors with carpets, plaster carvings, and accessories such as furs, feathers, and beads. The people have also begun tattooing for beautification.

Later, the city faced many challenges. First, a wall was built around the main square, isolating the residents. Rainwater trapped within the enclosed area, damaging many houses. People gradually rejected the once-thriving symbol of the city and began to move away. By 1300, few remained, and even garbage was dumped there. Woodhenge was also destroyed.

The remains of the person who was sacrificed.

The reason for this change likely lies in the practice of human sacrifice. Leaders used people as offerings to the gods, sometimes dozens at a time, dressing them in elaborate costumes to reenact legends about the ancient gods and heroes of the tribe.

However, the high number of casualties made the residents feel uneasy, leading to resentment towards the ruling group, and ultimately, they gradually left and migrated elsewhere, despite the fact that the economy and trade were not experiencing any problems. Traces of grain and corn crops are still scattered along the Mississippi River.

In reality, this is just speculation, as there is no way to know for sure what events actually took place at Cahokia. Trying to retell the oral traditions is also impossible because no descendants of the original group can be found.

The excessive number of human lives sacrificed made the residents feel uneasy, leading to resentment towards the ruling group.

But it can be concluded that during its heyday, the Cahokia community was wholeheartedly loyal to its faith, but later it cost them their freedom, leading to social disintegration and fragmentation into small nomadic groups. "If a balance between cultural identity and reality is not maintained, the community will fall apart," Melissa Baltus explains.

Other theories about droughts and floods have been put forward, but none have been convincingly proven. Nevertheless, the Cahokia people have left behind a legacy that has endured through time, despite the later encroachment of Europeans and indigenous peoples.

According to Dan Viet