Tabular Knife

A large prehistoric knife most likely used to process plant material.

At first glance, the dune field at White Sands National Monument appears inhospitable and uninhabitable, yet the monument protects numerous and diverse evidence of over 10,000 years of human history. This large tabular knife represents one of the many different artifact types found in association with unique archeological sites called gypsum hearth mounds. This particular artifact was collected from a gypsum hearth mound containing material which returned the oldest radiocarbon age on record within the monument (3960 years BP). These types of knifes are believed to be used to process agave or other plant material.

Gypsum hearth mounds form due to the physical properties of gypsum which produce solidified features similar to time capsules when heated; preserving dateable charcoal, plant and animal remains and other cultural material. Research suggests these sites represent short term seasonal camps primarily used for processing plants such yucca or Indian ricegrass. These remarkable gypsum hearth mound sites are not known to occur anywhere else on earth.

The gypsum hearth mounds and associated tools provide a glimpse into prehistoric land-use practices and subsistence strategies as well as insight into climate change and the geological history of the dunefield over time. Radiocarbon dates collected from a selection of gypsum hearth mound sites indicate prehistoric groups were camping along the leading edge of the dunefield. The dune edge would have provided access to a diverse array of plants and animals as well as a source of fresh water right below the ground surface year round. Consequently, as the dunes advanced over time, settlement locations gradually shifted to the northeast following the natural progression of the dunes.