Archaeologists discover remains of 'bustling' Native American city in East St. Louis

Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a huge Native American city in East St. Louis, Illinois.

During a dig at the site of the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge, the Illinois State Archaeological Survey team found pottery fragments, arrows, stone tools, and other remains that suggest the area was much more populated than was previously believed.

The Belleville News-Democrat reports that in 1,000 C.E., East St. Louis was "a bustling city chock full of immigrants" and thrived for roughly 150 years. The remains suggest that the area was "the first big city in North America," according to Brad Koldehoff, the state's chief archaeologist.

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The archaeologists still aren't sure why so many immigrants moved to East St. Louis, but Koldehoff believes it may have been for religious reasons, as if East St. Louis were "the founding of a holy site." The pottery fragments indicate immigration, with materials from Southern Missouri or Northern Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin.

The team is also unsure why the East St. Louis population suddenly decreased, with the site almost completely abandoned by 1,200 C.E., though they believe a "severe drought" may be responsible.