Koster Site

The Koster Site is a prehistoric archaeological site located south of Eldred, Illinois. The site includes eleven settlements dating from 5100 B.C. to 1000 A.D. Nine of the settlements were occupied during the Archaic period, while the other two were inhabited during the Woodland period. The soil strata containing the settlement remains are separated by additional layers of soil, making the site exceptionally well-preserved.

The site includes one of the oldest known cemetery sites in eastern North America. The cemetery site has provided researchers with evidence that Early Archaic civilizations had specific burial practices and buried their dead in cemeteries. Other significant discoveries made at the site include early evidence of North Americans using stones to grind food and keeping domesticated dogs. The discovery of permanent residences and items which could not be easily transported at the site suggests that it was a large permanent village; at the time of its discovery. Excavations at the site have also yielded a variety of stone tools, which were used for various purposes and also indicate long-term habitation of the site.