The Grand Plaza that fronted Monks Mound to the south was not a natural open space.

Archaeological research has demonstrated that it was deliberately engineered — the terrain was leveled over an area of about 50 hectares, with low spots filled and high spots reduced, to create a flat ceremonial and gathering space.

Creating the Grand Plaza required moving nearly as much earth as some of the smaller mounds.

It was a landscape-scale public works project, executed with a precision that implied centralized planning and significant organizational capacity.

The City at Its Height