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The Sustainability of Rock Art: Preservation and Research

Author

Listed:
  • Andrea Zerboni

    (Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra “A. Desio”, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 34, I-20133 Milano, Italy)

  • Federica Villa

    (Dipartimento di Scienze per gli Alimenti, la Nutrizione e l’Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 31, I-20133 Milano, Italy)

  • Ying-Li Wu

    (Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra “A. Desio”, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 34, I-20133 Milano, Italy)

  • Tadele Solomon

    (EHA—Ethiopian Heritage Authority, Addis Ababa 1000, Ethiopia)

  • Andrea Trentini

    (Dipartimento di Informatica “G. Degli Antoni”, Via Celoria 18, I-20133 Milano, Italy)

  • Alessandro Rizzi

    (Dipartimento di Informatica “G. Degli Antoni”, Via Celoria 18, I-20133 Milano, Italy)

  • Francesca Cappitelli

    (Dipartimento di Scienze per gli Alimenti, la Nutrizione e l’Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 31, I-20133 Milano, Italy)

  • Marina Gallinaro

    (Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Antichità, Sapienza Università di Roma, I-00185 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

Rock art is a widespread cultural heritage, representing an immovable element of the material culture created on natural rocky supports. Paintings and petroglyphs can be found within caves and rock shelters or in open-air contexts and for that reason they are not isolated from the processes acting at the Earth surface. Consequently, rock art represents a sort of ecosystem because it is part of the complex and multidirectional interplay between the host rock, pigments, environmental parameters, and microbial communities. Such complexity results in several processes affecting rock art; some of them contribute to its destruction, others to its preservation. To understand the effects of such processes an interdisciplinary scientific approach is needed. In this contribution, we discuss the many processes acting at the rock interface—where rock art is present—and the multifaceted possibilities of scientific investigations—non-invasive or invasive—offered by the STEM disciplines. Finally, we suggest a sustainable approach to investigating rock art allowing to understand its production as well as its preservation and eventually suggest strategies to mitigate the risks threatening its stability.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea Zerboni & Federica Villa & Ying-Li Wu & Tadele Solomon & Andrea Trentini & Alessandro Rizzi & Francesca Cappitelli & Marina Gallinaro, 2022. "The Sustainability of Rock Art: Preservation and Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-24, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:10:p:6305-:d:821079
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ioannis Liritzis & Elena Korka, 2019. "Archaeometry’s Role in Cultural Heritage Sustainability and Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-26, April.
    2. Andrea Zerboni & Alessandro Perego & Mauro Cremaschi, 2015. "Geomorphological Map of the Tadrart Acacus Massif and the Erg Uan Kasa (Libyan Central Sahara)," Journal of Maps, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(5), pages 772-787, October.
    3. Maria Guagnin, 2015. "Animal engravings in the central Sahara: A proxy of a proxy," Environmental Archaeology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(1), pages 52-65, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Evangelia Panou & Agathi Anthoula Kaminari & Georgios Tsairis & Athina Georgia Alexopoulou, 2022. "Ship Graffiti in Horologion of Andronikos Kyrristos, Greece: A Comparative Study and New Evidence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-17, October.

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