Daily Express Us reports: Ancient 'lost city' of America dubbed 'Atlantis of the land' with eerie mass gravesCahokia, a sophisticated ancient city of the Mississippian culture, was abandoned before America was founded - dubbed the 'Atlantis of the land,' it was bigger than London and contains mass graves and burial sites Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source By Emilia Randall 02:00 ET, Thu, May 7, 2026 An ancient city, which vanished under mysterious circumstances, existed long before America was founded. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENTIn many ways, Cahokia is the Atlantis of the American continent.
Described as "a total orphan - a lost city in every sense" this thriving city was in what is now Mississippi in 1350, with a population comparable to that of London and Paris.Then, before Christopher Columbus set foot on American shores, it was abandoned by its native inhabitants. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT"Cahokia is definitely an underplayed story," James Brown, professor emeritus of archaeology at Northwestern University, told The Guardian. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT"You'd have to go to the valley of Mexico to see anything comparable to this place.
Background
It's a total orphan - a lost city in every sense.", reports the Express. READ MORE: Bigfoot sightings run rampant in Ohio, as locals report eerie sound from woods READ MORE: 'Gangster Granny', 99, sets weird Guinness World Record at Kid Rock festival Cahokia is an 'underplayed story' (Image: Getty)The old courthouse of Cahokia (Image: Getty Images)Having reached its peak population around 1100, the city's numbers dwindled and it was completely deserted by 1350.Remarkably, accounts of Cahokia do not even feature in Native American folklore or oral histories, according to Emerson. "Apparently what happened in Cahokia left a bad taste in people's minds."Eight miles from present-day St.
Key facts
- Article continues below ADVERTISEMENTIn many ways, Cahokia is the Atlantis of the American continent.
- Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT"Cahokia is definitely an underplayed story," James Brown, professor emeritus of archaeology at Northwestern University, told The Guardian.
- Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT"You'd have to go to the valley of Mexico to see anything comparable to this place.
What this means
Louis, Cahokia was constructed by the Mississippians, a group of Native Americans who occupied much of the U.S. from the Mississippi River to the Atlantic coast.It was a remarkably sophisticated city, with a third of its population being "not from Cahokia, but somewhere else" according to Thomas Emerson, professor of anthropology at the University of Illinois.Likened to Manhattan in its diversity, the city's inhabitants originated from throughout the region - including the Natchez, Pensacola, Choctaw, and Ofo peoples.Emerson stated: "A lot of the world is still relating in terms of cowboys and Indians, and feathers and teepees.
But in AD1000, from the beginning, [a city is] laid on a specific plan. It doesn't grow into a plan, it starts as a plan. And they created the most massive earthen mound in North America.
Originally reported by Daily Express Us. This story has been edited and re-presented by BRIC Team.
