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The Crawfish River Marker
Photographer: William J. Toman
Taken: September 4, 2010
Caption: The Crawfish River Marker
Additional Description: The ceremonial center of Aztalan is situated on the banks of the Crawfish for good reason. The river served as an important food source and provided a variety of fish, turtles, freshwater mussels, aquatic mammals, waterfowl, and edible plants.

When Aztalan flourished, the Crawfish was much deeper and clearer and the shallow banks were lined with wild rice, rushes, and other aquatic plants.

The river provided an important transportation and trade route. The map illustrates the wide area that could be accessed via water routes from Aztalan. Following the Crawfish downstream to its confluence with the Rock, and then continuing down the Rock to where it joins the Mississippi in present day Illinois, we have a travel route to the distant Mississippian complex of Cahokia.
Submitted: September 12, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin.
Database Locator Identification Number: p127455
File Size: 3.793 Megabytes

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