Final answer:
Cahokia is relatively understudied compared to other sites despite its importance. Its decline, the rise of other chiefdoms, and factors like overhunting and deforestation may have contributed to this lack of attention.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cahokia, a Mississippian site near modern St. Louis, was an elaborate and important urban center that reached its peak around 1250 before gradually declining and eventually being abandoned. Despite its significance, it is relatively understudied compared to other sites of lesser magnitude.
One possible reason for this is that Cahokia's decline coincided with the collapse of larger Mississippian chiefdoms and the decline of long-distance trade routes. Additionally, the rise of other chiefdoms like Moundville in Alabama may have shifted scholarly attention away from Cahokia.
Furthermore, factors such as overhunting, deforestation, and competition from other centers may have contributed to Cahokia's demise, leading to a lack of preservation and limited sources for study.