Jay / Rio Grande Projectile Point

This Jay/Rio Grande stone projectile point, collected during an archeological survey near the Visitor Center in 2008, illustrates the presence of early hunters and gatherers in the Rio Grande valley. These early occupants were likely composed of small bands that lived in ephemeral camps and followed animal herds from place to place. These points would have been attached to a foreshaft of wood that inserted into the front of a spear or dart that resembles a large arrow, complete with feathers. The spear with this projectile point attached would have been thrown using a hooked spear thrower called an atlatl.