NPS Photo
Around 6000 B.C., as the Archaic period began, the climate grew drier and Ice Age mammals had disappeared. The Archaic people of the Texas Panhandle lived in a diverse environment filled with plants and animals. They were skilled gatherers, collecting seeds, roots, berries, and other edible plants. To make these foods more nutritious and easier to eat, they ground seeds into meal using manos and metates—tools typically made from sandstone or dolomite. By the end of this era, hunting technology began to shift. The atlatl and dart, once dominant, slowly gave way to the bow and arrow. Archaeologists identify this change by the size of projectile points: larger points were used with darts, while smaller arrowheads were designed for bows. With the extinction of the large straight-horned bison, hunters turned to game familiar to us today—deer, rabbits, and turkeys. This period also marked the beginning of a transition from nomadic hunter-gatherers to early farmers. Evidence of this shift includes the introduction of pottery, a hallmark of farming cultures. The next groups to inhabit the Texas Panhandle would advance both farming and pottery-making to new levels.
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Last updated: February 8, 2026