David S. Whitley

I decided to become an archaeologist when I was three years old, and determined that I would study cave paintings (rock art) when I was 12. No one told me, at the time, that rock art was an ignored topic in American archaeology (I have wondered, ever since, whether that was an appropriate age to make a major career decision). Regardless of cause, I primarily write about prehistoric art and religion, which I find harder to study, and consequently much more interesting, than the standard archaeological topics of tool technology and diet. We may be what we eat (as the saying goes), but it makes for boring conversation--and not terribly compelling archaeological research either, in my opinion. The point of departure in my studies is the rock art of far western North America. My understanding of this art primarily derives from Native American ethnography--anthropological accounts of tribal religions and practices. Though the deep prehistoric past certainly differed from historical conditions, ethnographic descriptions provide us with the best models for reconstructing the prehistoric unknown. In my latest book, CAVE PAINTINGS AND THE HUMAN SPIRIT, I've used this understanding as a springboard for examining the ultimate origin of art and religion. I live near Tehachapi, California, in a forest of blue oak trees. When I'm not working or writing, I ride my faithful old ranch horse, Twelve,through the mountains. It's the best way to think.