Mound Cave
Mound
Mississippian (800–1600 CE)·Mississippian·🇨🇱 Coquimbo, Chile
About
About Mound Cave
Mound Cave in Coquimbo, Chile is a Mississippian (800–1600 CE) cave attributed to Mississippian culture. Systematically investigated through aerial LiDAR and fieldwalking, it presents a central mound with hydraulic works. Construction employs ashlar with clamp and demonstrates long-distance exchange. Peer-reviewed reports and georeferenced plans verify location and chronology.
Why it mattersKey Mississippian cave with stratified sequence and regional significance.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Astronomical alignment and orientation
- 02Social hierarchy and elite control
Theories
- 01Ritual landscape and ancestral veneration
- 02Defensive refuge and tribal capital
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 931 CE
- Period
- Mississippian (800–1600 CE)
- Culture
- Mississippian
- Purpose
- Ceremonial and settlement
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 931 CE
Initial construction and primary occupation
c. 1059 CE
Major enlargement and wall circuit added
c. 1165 CE
Peak occupation and regional prominence
2001
Scientific excavation and conservation
On the ground
Structures & features
30.3890° S · 72.5277° W · 2039 m · 3 mapped features
Necropolis Extension
rock artPrimary cave at Mound Cave — ceremonial avenue
30.3891° S · 72.5306° WRock Art Panel
shrineBurial zone — rock-cut chambers
30.3893° S · 72.5298° WOutlier Panel
chamberPrimary cave at Mound Cave — ceremonial avenue
30.3886° S · 72.5295° W