A period of public mourning was observed at his death. Sometimes temples and homes of the elite were burned and new layers of earth were then spread on them. Perhaps most alarming to us today is that when a chief or priest died, his kin and servants were often killed or sacrificed. Sometimes they may have killed themselves as part of the burial ritual. The elite or nobility of Mississippian society were buried in the mounds at a ceremonial complex, whereas commoners were buried beneath their house floors.
Graves tell archaeologists the most about the social status of Mississippian people.
Those with higher status had more artifacts found in their graves, such as copper items and fine black pottery with highly decorative engravings. The commoners and slaves had fewer artifacts placed in their graves. Mississippians believed that the priests could communicate with the forces of nature, the sun and rain. The ceremonies helped to make sure the harvests were good. They probably had a yearly schedule for these ceremonies and religious events and people from surrounding villages and hamlets came to the ceremonial centers, such as Moundville and Bottle Creek, to participate in the events and feasts.