William J. Parry

William J. Parry is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Hunter College, School of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on hunter-gatherer societies, lithic analysis, and Mesoamerican archaeology, with a secondary interest in colonial-era New York City archaeology.

• PhD in Anthropology (University of Michigan, 1983)
• MA in Anthropology (University of Michigan)
• BA in Anthropology (Franklin and Marshall College)

Dr. Parry studies chipped stone tools across varied contexts, from mobile foragers in the United States and Mexico to urban craft specialists in ancient civilizations. His work spans geographically from the Delaware and Susquehanna Valleys to the Philippines and Peru, with a focus on technological organization and cultural complexity.

His publications analyze obsidian production shifts post-Spanish invasion, expedient vs. formal tool strategies, and symbolic dimensions of lithic artifacts. A landmark 1987 article on expedient core technology has received over 500 citations.

• Emeritus Board Member, Old Stone House of Brooklyn
• Researcher, Human Ecodynamics Research Center
• Collaborator, Primate Evolution Lab
• Participant in NYCEP, NABO, and WASP field schools