معرفی
Dr. J. Phil Dering serves as Associated Faculty in the Department of Anthropology, specializing in paleoethnobotany and archaeological plant analysis. His research focuses on prehistoric subsistence systems during the Archaic and Late Prehistoric periods in west Texas and southeastern New Mexico, with particular expertise in the Lower Pecos River region of Texas and Mexico.
His academic background includes:
- Ph.D. in Anthropology, Texas A&M University, 1996
- M.S. in Botany, Texas A&M University, 1979
Dering's research centers on the identification and interpretation of archaeological plant materials, earth oven plant processing techniques, and the relationship between rock art and plant use in ancient societies. He integrates botanical analysis with cultural context to reconstruct prehistoric economies, with special attention to the role of plant production in hunter-gatherer societies. His work frequently examines how environmental factors shaped subsistence strategies in semi-arid landscapes.
Analysis of his publication record from 1996-2023 reveals consistent focus on archaeobotanical methods applied to rockshelter sites, village settlements, and rock art contexts across the American Southwest. Key themes include macrobotanical remains analysis, chronological studies using radiocarbon dating, and interdisciplinary approaches combining plant science with rock art interpretation. His recent work with The Hearthstone Project demonstrates increasing integration of Indigenous knowledge systems with archaeological science.
Dr. Dering's research is supported by significant grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and National Science Foundation, particularly for The Hearthstone Project. While no formal advisees are listed in available records, his collaborative projects involve extensive teamwork with archaeologists, botanists, and Indigenous consultants across multiple institutions.
He is actively engaged with the Shumla Archaeological Research and Education Center through The Hearthstone Project, which synthesizes archaeological science, formal art analysis, and Indigenous knowledge. His fieldwork frequently partners with his wife Carolyn Boyd on rock art documentation in the Lower Pecos region, and he conducts vegetation surveys near rock art sites in the Guadalupe Mountains as part of the Cooperative Rock Art Recording project.
