Spirit of the Wilderness Survey: Archeological Inventory at Petrified Forest National Park

The Spirit of the Wilderness Archeological Survey in Petrified Forest National Park was a three year long cultural resources inventory of more than 9,000 acres of the Petrified Forest National Park wilderness begun in July, 2003 and concluded in June of 2005. Identification and recording
of previously undocumented sites was conducted in four separate field sessions, each lasting for three or four weeks. In total, 6,735 acres were surveyed in the Rainbow Forest Wilderness Area. In the Painted Desert Wilderness, 2,287 acres were surveyed for a total survey coverage of 9,038 acres. This survey constitutes the largest, contiguous block survey undertaken in the park to date.

Sixty-three sites were recorded; 56 date to the Pueblo II and Pueblo III time periods. Sites were generally situated on sandy bluffs overlooking the deeply eroded badlands areas and are mainly concentrated in the Rainbow Forest Wilderness where the greatest concentration of high-quality petrified wood is found. With few exceptions, the sites appear to be relatively small, with no more than an estimated ten to twenty inhabitants. Ceramics and rock art cover a span of occupation from Basketmaker to Pueblo IV, indicated by a range of ceramics from the undecorated Adamana Brown to Zuni glaze wares and various orange wares. Rock art, although less temporally diagnostic, also indicates a long span of occupation. A single Basketmaker rock art element was recorded during this survey. Most of the rock art recorded has Pueblo II through Pueblo IV traits.

All but three of the sites recorded during the wilderness survey are recommended eligible to the Naitonal Register of Historic Places under criterion D. In addition, the rock art sites are eligible under criterion A. In the event of any undertaking in the vicinity of these sites compliance with
section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act will be necessary.

荒野精神考古调查（The Spirit of the Wilderness Archeological Survey）是针对石化林国家公园（Petrified Forest National Park）内荒野区域开展的为期三年的文化资源普查，覆盖该公园超9000英亩的荒野范围，调查于2003年7月启动，2005年6月结束。本次调查通过四次独立的野外作业完成，每次作业持续3至4周，旨在识别并记录此前未被载入档案的考古遗址。其中，彩虹森林荒野区（Rainbow Forest Wilderness Area）的调查面积达6735英亩，彩绘沙漠荒野区（Painted Desert Wilderness）的调查面积为2287英亩，总调查覆盖面积达9038英亩。本次调查是该公园迄今为止开展的规模最大的连片区域考古调查。

本次调查共记录63处遗址，其中56处可追溯至普韦布洛II期（Pueblo II）与普韦布洛III期（Pueblo III）。这些遗址大多坐落于俯瞰严重侵蚀劣地的砂质悬崖之上，且主要集中在优质石化木储量最丰富的彩虹森林荒野区内。除极少数例外，这些遗址规模相对较小，预估居住人口不超过10至20人。从篮采者时期（Basketmaker）到普韦布洛IV期（Pueblo IV）的人类活动均有陶瓷与岩画佐证，相关遗物包括无装饰的阿达马纳棕陶（Adamana Brown）、祖尼釉陶（Zuni glaze wares）以及各类橙陶。岩画的年代断代相对困难，但同样表明该区域存在漫长的人类活动周期。本次调查中仅记录到1件篮采者时期的岩画遗存，多数已记录的岩画均具有普韦布洛II期至普韦布洛IV期的特征。

除3处遗址外，本次荒野调查记录的其余所有遗址均符合依据D类标准（Criterion D）列入国家史迹名录（National Register of Historic Places）的推荐资格。此外，岩画遗址符合A类标准的列入资格。若在这些遗址周边开展任何工程活动，均需遵守《国家历史保护法》（National Historic Preservation Act）第106条的相关规定。