Vega

Garcellasso de la Vega notes that American Indian communities began town planning with the construction of mounds for chiefs and warriors, creating a social hierarchy. Mounds served both as living quarters and defensive structures, with evidence of such constructions spanning centuries. The Natchez Indians, for example, built extensive mounds in Louisiana for protection against the French. Excavations of these mounds reveal human remains alongside artifacts, illustrating the cultural practices surrounding death and memorialization among Native American tribes, such as the Choctaws, who honored their deceased with intricate burial customs.