The following questions are from a previous Q&A series called "Ask Dr. Turpin" — a monthly Q&A that ran on this site from March of 1999 to April of 2001. Click on a question to read the response from Dr. Turpin.

March 1999
One of the most common questions asked about the rock art of the Lower Pecos region is "who were the people who painted them - Comanches? Apaches?"

April 1999
Being interested in primitive technologies, I wanted to attempt replication of some of the lecheguilla basketry of the Lower Pecos. The first problem came with extracting the fiber from the lecheguilla. Having thoroughly dried some lecheguilla leaves and subsequently soaking them in water for several days, I was able to laboriously prepare a small amount of fiber by individually stripping the fibers of their gelatinous pulp. The method is so time consuming, however, that I doubt this method was used. Then once the fiber was prepared, I could not roll it into cordage as with other fibers (by rolling dampened fibers on my knee). So my question is how to prepare lecheguilla fiber and then cord it (using methods that would have been available to the Lower Pecos people).

May 1999
Why is their only one bison jump kill site in the Lower Pecos?

June 1999
How did the people of the Lower Pecos sustain their culture over such a long period of time with so few people?

July 1999
Did the Lower Pecos people live in the rock shelters during the winter and the upland camps during the summers? Why are there two different types of living areas?

August 1999
Why did the Lower Pecos culture spread deeply into northern Mexico and not westward into the Three Rivers area of New Mexico or eastward into the Three Rivers area of Texas?

September 1999
Are there name or identification indicators on or around the Shaman figures that would have allowed the Lower Pecos people to recognize the artist or Shaman portrayed?

October 1999
I'm intrigued by the similarities between the Pecos River style and the Barrier Canyon style in Utah. One difference is that Barrier Canyon has no fringed figures. What is the current understanding of what the fringe around some of the Pecos River figures represents or means?

November 1999
What was the purpose of the deep mortar holes found in almost all shelters? Is there a significance of the various sizes?

December 1999
Was there any evidence of conflict between Hunter-Gatherer groups living in the Lower Pecos?

January 2000
Please comment on the significance of the deer antlers seen painted numerous times in the Fate Bell Triad panel.

February 2000
Is there any significance to the colors used in the paintings?

March 2000
Having received a number of questions on diverse topics, I want to assure the contributors that I will be attempting to answer them over the next few newsletters. This issue, the question comes from outside the RAF but it is of central concern in the study of rock art, especially now that a backlash is developing against the shamanistic interpretation of much of the imagery. This is a natural pendulum swing, especially espoused by the younger members of the rock art community, who do not remember when it was anathema to even mention rock art and shamanism in the same breath. All that changed about 1989 - for us, in Texas, with the symposium on Shamanism and Rock Art held at the Witte Museum in San Antonio - for the rest of the world with the growing awareness of the significance of David Lewis-Williams' work in South Africa. This subject will be addressed in greater detail in the RAF's forthcoming volume on Rock Art and Cultural Processes (working title) which is currently in the editing stage. Now - on to the question. Starting at the beginnings of human illustration, I am particularly interested in the X-ray style of cave paintings/ancient illustration which reveal the internal structures of both man and animal and are found in 'primitive' cultures globally. Having stumbled across your fascinating site, I wondered if your organisation would be able to help me find out more about the significance/meaning of this type of art and/or any information which may help me.

April 2000
At the behest of Jim Zintgraff, I am going to devote this response to his request that I expound upon the significance of the panther, mountain lion, puma or generic big cat in the Lower Pecos rock art.

May 2000
Many of our members want to know what the people of the Lower Pecos looked like so we are fortunate to have facial reconstructions done using techniques developed in forensic science.

June 2000
Instead of addressing one of the questions submitted by a member, this month I want to pass on to the membership the preservation committee's response to several issues posed by and to the board members about the proposed Lewis Canyon project. The President's call for action in this newsletter may raise some of the same issues so this response anticipates the questions.

July 2000
How much hard evidence is there for the deterioration of the Lower Pecos paintings in historic times? (Part I)

August 2000
How much hard evidence is there for the deterioration of the Lower Pecos paintings in historic times? (Part II)

October 2000
The October question is not did the people of the Lower Pecos play trick or treat although it is clear from their art that they understood the concept of flying felines and ghostly spirits. Instead, the discussion centers on the definition of Lower Pecos cultural area boundaries and how the people traveled within that area.

November 2000
What is the difference between the Pecos River and Red Linear styles and what do those differences mean?

April 2001
How were the prickly pear pouches prepared and how may they have been used?