CONGRATS FOR CAHOKIA

December was full of accomplishments for the Illinois State Archaeological Survey, a research offi ce which concentrates on the archaeological heritage of Illinois. In early December, ISAS got coverage in National Geographic and Archaeology Magazine for uncovering a bobcat kitten or “bobkitten” buried around 2,000 years ago at the prehistoric city and archaeological site known as Cahokia. Also in December, ISAS won recognition by the Shanghai Archaeology Forum in Bejing, China, for its work at Cahokia. The excavation team’s discovery of over a million artifacts and nearly 1,500 buildings near East St. Louis landed them the prestigious SAF Field Discovery Award for being one of the top 10 discoveries in the world. Tom Emerson, state archaeologist and director of ISAS, praises the accomplishment of the team at Cahokia. “It is especially a tribute to our American Bottom Field Station staff who through four years of almost continuous fi eldwork accomplished the amazing feat of excavating nearly 1,500 late prehistoric houses, thousands of features and a heretofore-unknown mound from this ancient buried fi rst city in North America,” Emerson said. “It is a tribute to the teamwork of all ISAS staff across the organization that this was possible.”