Projectile Point

The lands comprising Petrified Forest National Park have been occupied for at least 13,000 years, and this projectile point of petrified wood represents that occupation and the use of the unique natural resources of the forest. Over 1000 recorded archeological sites preserve evidence of populations ranging from hunter-gatherers of the Paleoindian period, to pueblo-dwelling farmers in the 1300s, and historic period Navajo sheepherders. People were drawn to the area's abundant and varied natural resources, one of which is petrified wood of exceptional quality. This lovely material, well-suited for making stone tools, is ubiquitous among archaeological assemblages across all time periods in the park. This object is a dart point manufactured by people living in the park during a remarkable period of change between 1500 CE and 450 CE. During this time, families began to live together in larger groups than ever before, forming the park's first villages among huge sand dunes and on flat mesa tops.