Illustrations by Nola Davis

-Mound Prairie- From the Prehistoric era into the Modern era, many groups of people have called East

Texas home. Archaeologists refer to the Native Americans who settled in this region over 1,000

years ago as the Early Caddo. They were part of a larger Native American culture that thrived

throughout eastern North America. Archaeologists refer to this 2,500 year old culture as

Mississippian or Mound Builder culture.

There were several characteristics about the natural environment that appealed to the

Early Caddo. The Neches River valley provided an abundance of natural resources. The river

bottoms were densely populated with hardwood forests while the upland pine forests

supported a diverse panorama of wildlife along with a variety of edible plants and fruits. The

prairie soil was very fertile and ideal for raising crops. Nearby springs, creeks and the Neches

River readily supplied water for all of their needs.

After permanently making this region their home, the Early Caddo began introducing

other elements of Mississippian culture. They introduced agriculture, a stable political system,

and the building of mounds for elaborate religious ceremonial practices and burial rituals. The

Early Caddo also participated in far reaching trade networks throughout North America. Since

flint, shell, obsidian and copper were not locally available resources, they were highly prized as

materials because they were greatly needed for making tools and weapons.