after the close of the woodland period (around 500 ce), native americans made less and less use of russell cave. occasionally, small parties of hunters left objects distinct from those of the woodland period occupants. these visitors (known as mound builders of the mississippian culture) came from permanent villages. these had successfully developed agriculture on the rich river bottomlands of the ohio and mississippi rivers and their tributaries. they build large complexes of earthwork mounds to express their religious and political concepts. the last occupants of the cave departed around 1000 ce.