 Mound 72 at Cahokia (the largest Mississippian site), located near modern St. Louis, Missouri, was found to have numerous pits filled with mass burials thought to have been retainer sacrifices.One of several similar pit burials had the remains of 53 young women who had been strangled and neatly arranged in two layers.Another pit held 39 men, women and children who showed signs of dying a violent death before being unceremoniously dumped into the pit.