Modoc Rock Shelter, Archaeological site near Prairie du Rocher, Illinois, US.
Modoc Rock Shelter is a prehistoric rock overhang located under tall sandstone cliffs above the Mississippi River floodplain. The site contains sediment layers deeper than 25 feet holding projectile points, cutting tools, stone hammers, and bone implements left by successive inhabitants.
The shelter was discovered in 1951 by archaeologist Irvin Peithmann and revealed evidence of human presence dating back roughly 9000 years. Excavations identified four distinct periods of occupation from the Archaic era, documenting how hunting and settlement practices shifted over millennia.
The shelter reveals how different groups of Native Americans used the rock overhang across multiple time periods, visible through the varied tools and objects left at different depths. The layered deposits show this was a reliable shelter people returned to repeatedly over thousands of years.
The fenced archaeological site is located southeast of Prairie du Rocher and is open to visitors without entrance fees. Wearing sturdy shoes is wise since the ground can be uneven and the terrain varies.
Each of the four occupation periods used different hunting tools and methods, suggesting people adapted to changing environmental conditions over thousands of years. These shifts are visible in the sediment layers and reveal how early hunter groups adjusted their strategies.
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