The Petrified Forest National Park is home to an ancient village, according to archaeologists at the famous semi-desert range.

The discovery of this settlement in Arizona's Petrified National Forest Park is the second find of its kind in recent times. Sometime last year, another similar village was uncovered a short distance away.

Reports indicate that both sites, which stand between Navajo and Apache settlements, share many similar features, including their slab-lined pit-house design. Archaeologists have not been able to establish which ethnic group stayed in these villages. Nonetheless, there are some speculations that the sites may have been trading grounds - based on the items found there. Among other things, reports indicate that some stone tools, knives, scrapers and spear points were gathered dug up at the site in the Petrified National Forest Park.

ABC News quotes an archaeologist at the Petrified National Forest Park, Bill Reitze, explaining that '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 one."

Mr. Reitze, who dates the recently discovered village to have been built sometime between 200 A.D. and 700 A.D., noted that other sites in the nation have the potential to become "bigger like this and protect sites and produce future research."

Over the past decade, the Petrified Forest National Park has been expanding. Last year, the park grew by about 4, 265 acres to include an archaeological site east of Puerco Pueblo. Experts say the park is expected to continue to be expanded as more important sites are uncovered nearby.

The Petrified National Forest Park is renowned to be a unique dry, table highland. But researchers have discovered that the area was once a vast flood plain, which included lush vegetation and various types of animals. It is unclear what altered the site into its present state. But many experts say perennial flooding played a role in changing the topography of the site.