A ancient 1,300 year-old village has been uncovered in the Petrified Forest National Park of Arizona.
Pottery discovered in the newly-discovered ruins places possible dates of occupation in the community to between C.E. 200 and 700. Archaeologists believe the village may have once been populated by a semi-nomadic group.
A similar enclave of pit-houses dug into the ground, and lined with slab, lying about half a mile from the newly-found ruins, was discovered by archaeologists in 2013. This construction style, unique to the area, is rarely encountered in villages lying in such close proximity to each other.
The Petrified Forest National Park Expansion Act of 2004 increased the size of many of the nation's parks. Due to this act, additional sections of the Petrified Forest, including the area where the discoveries were made, were granted status as national parks.
"There are not a lot of national parks that have the opportunity to get bigger like this to protect sites and produce future research. A lot of archaeology happens in response to development. What makes this unique is new sites are discovered, research [is] being done and all these sites are being protected, all at once," Bill Reitze, archaeologist for the Petrified Forest National Park, said.
Artifacts recovered at the village include fragments of pottery, spear points, and stone tools including scrapers, knives. Many of the implements were constructed from petrified wood.
The Petrified Forest was once home to Native Americans, members of the Apache and Navajo nations.
The newly-found village was uncovered by a team of 10 archeologists during the summer of 2014. Sandstone slabs protruding from the ground were the first evidence discovered that a previously-unknown village was lying under the ground, waiting to be uncovered. Stone shards, pottery, and other remnants of an ancient civilization started to reveal the wealth of material hidden beneath the sand. The village discovered in 2013 measured just 14 acres in total size, while the new ruins stretch over 66 acres.
As additional artifacts are found, the archaeological team at the park will utilize radiocarbon dating to more accurately determine an age for the encampment. An ethno-botanical study will also be carried out, in order to better-understand findings made in the ancient ruins.
Brad Traver, park superintendent, believes the village may have been home to nomads who were undergoing a great societal change, learning to live together in villages.
"Because the park is doubling in size, we are finding something every day - certainly not like these sites, but we are finding things every day," Reitze told ABC News.
