The Sustainability of Rock Art: Preservation and Research

Zerboni, Andrea; Villa, Federica; Wu, Ying-Li; Solomon, Tadele; Trentini, Andrea; Rizzi, Alessandro; Cappitelli, Francesca; Gallinaro, Marina

doi:10.3390/su14106305

Cited by 12 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 129 publications

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“…Our nondestructive methodology contributes to the sustainability of the monument. Furthermore, it is mentioned in the literature that non-invasive methods have already been applied for the research and preservation of the sustainability of rock art [26], which supports the present research.…”

Section: Introduction 1the Horologion Of Andronikos Kyrristossupporting

confidence: 84%

Ship Graffiti in Horologion of Andronikos Kyrristos, Greece: A Comparative Study and New Evidence

et al. 2022

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The paper contributes new information about the Horologion of Andronikos Kyrristos of the Roman Agora of Athens, Greece and its continuous presence in Athens from antiquity until now. The monument is of cultural, historical and astronomical importance. It has undergone conservation work and non-destructive documentation which contribute to its sustainability. The spectral imaging technique, which allows the acquisition of high-resolution images, was applied on the stone surfaces of the monument. The acquisition of images in the visible and infrared regions, combined with the digital tracing reproduction of the graffiti and image processing, is used for the first time in this particularly interesting case study of the aforementioned monument, of which a complete description is provided. New evidence with a clearer recording of the vessels already mentioned in the literature, as well as the detection of new historical data and graffiti, is discussed in comparison with the results of previous studies.

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Section: Introduction 1the Horologion Of Andronikos Kyrristossupporting

confidence: 84%

Ship Graffiti in Horologion of Andronikos Kyrristos, Greece: A Comparative Study and New Evidence

et al. 2022

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“…Samples of lichen thalli were collected from each plot, without affecting the rock substratum for conservation reasons, to check field identifications in the laboratory. Lichen identification was based on Wirth (1995), Smith et al (2009) and the online keys published in ITALIC version 7 (see Nimis & Martellos 2020). Nomenclature follows Nimis (2022).…”

Section: Diversity Surveymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Microbial biofilms, including cyanobacterial ones, were reported as the main lithobiontic component in several rock art sites. Their presence was variously associated with biodeterioration or bioprotection processes, which depend on the lithology and the environmental conditions (Villa et al 2016), and even in some cases with the past formation of surface crusts which coat the stones and were carved by the engraving activities (Rabacchin et al 2022;Zerboni et al 2022). In the case of Naquane, the low porosity and high cohesion of the substratum seem to limit a diffuse endolithic, and more deteriogenic, behaviour of cyanobacteria, which find enough suitable conditions for a rich epilithic growth in the local temperate climate with no dry season (Rubel et al 2017).…”

Section: Lichens and Other Lithobionts On Rocks With Different Conser...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Lithobiontic colonization and biodeterioration effects deserve particular attention when affecting rock art, since biological growths and the artworks may display a rather similar dimensional extent (i.e. (sub-)millimetric thickness), therefore particularly affecting conservation issues (Darvill & Batarda-Fernandes 2014;Zerboni et al 2022). Lichens, in particular, can partially mask or fully cover engravings (Tratebas 2004), and were shown to induce physical and chemical deterioration processes on different lithologies bearing rock art, although negative effects on the surface durability were not always recognizable (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An ecological investigation on lichens and other lithobionts colonizing rock art in Valle Camonica (UNESCO WHS n. 94) addresses preventive conservation strategies

Favero-Longo,

Matteucci,

Castelli

et al. 2023

The Lichenologist

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Environmental control strategies are commonly practised to limit biodeterioration issues threatening indoor cultural heritage objects, while they are still poorly exploited for the conservation of outdoor stone heritage surfaces, including rock art. In this study, we evaluated the environmental factors driving the diversity and abundance of lithobiontic communities in the Rock Engravings National Park of Naquane (UNESCO WHS n. 94, Italy). The survey considered 23 rocks that had been cleaned in the last three (3YC) or twelve (12YC) years or more than 40 years ago (NRC). A cyanobacteria-dominated biofilm and lichens (37 taxa) were the most widespread and abundant lithobiontic components, prevailing on 3YC–12YC and NRC rocks, respectively. On the latter, a turnover of xerophytic and meso-hygrophytic lichen communities was observed. On 3YC–12YC rocks lichen colonization, if present, was limited to nitrophytic species, including common epiphytes from surrounding trees and a small number of meso-hygrophytic species, with a prevalence of asexual reproductive strategies. Multivariate analyses including environmental parameters (canonical correspondence analyses) indicated that tree cover and the presence of bare or vegetated ground upstream of the rocks, probably prolonging wetness and providing nutrients by water transport, are the factors mostly related to the microbial and lichen recolonization of 3YC–12YC surfaces. On this basis, an experiment on preventive conservation was conducted, consisting of a new cleaning of a strongly recolonized 3YC surface combined with the building of a small wall to protect part of the rock from prolonged water fluxes. The fluorimetric and colorimetric monitoring of the rock surface, carried out 40 months after this new cleaning intervention, displayed recolonization on the unprotected area only, indicating the potential of preventive conservation strategies in outdoor environments.

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“…However, how temperature and moisture conditions govern compositional and functional features of deteriorating microbiomes on cultural relics is still elusive. In addition, besides biotic factors, anthropogenic activities also can influence the microbial community composition on relics [26]. For instance, the microbial outbreak in the Lascaux Cave is the best case, due to the tourism [19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temperature and Moisture Gradients Drive the Shifts of the Bacterial Microbiomes in 1000-Year-Old Mausoleums

Zhou

et al. 2022

Atmosphere

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Cultural relics conservation and prevention from bacterial deterioration are critical for our historical heritage. Thus far, the variations of the ecophysiological features of deteriorating bacterial communities along gradients of temperature and moisture remain unclear. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing to investigate the changing pattern of bacterial communities on bricks at different positions along two such gradients in the Two Mausoleums of the Southern Tang Dynasty, which have more than 1000 years of history. We found that the tombs were inhabited by a phylogenetically and functionally diverse bacterial microbiomes. Herein, Proteobacteria (34.5%), Cyanobacteria (31.3%), Bacteroidetes (7.8%) and Actinobacteria (7.4%), as well as ‘Amino Acid Metabolism (11.2%)’ and ‘Carbohydrate Metabolism (10.5%)’ accounted for the majorities of their compositional and functional profiles related to biodeterioration. Non-metric scaling in combination with PERMANOVA tests indicated that shifts in bacterial community compositions were governed by temperature, followed by moisture. In addition, we found that tourism-related anthropogenic activities could have played non-negligible roles in community assembly, especially in the areas that account as attractions (i.e., back room of the Qinling Mausoleum). Collectively, this study advances the knowledge regarding the deteriorating microbiomes of cultural monuments, which is essential for the conservation of historical cultural relics.

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The Sustainability of Rock Art: Preservation and Research

Cited by 12 publications

References 129 publications

Ship Graffiti in Horologion of Andronikos Kyrristos, Greece: A Comparative Study and New Evidence

Ship Graffiti in Horologion of Andronikos Kyrristos, Greece: A Comparative Study and New Evidence

An ecological investigation on lichens and other lithobionts colonizing rock art in Valle Camonica (UNESCO WHS n. 94) addresses preventive conservation strategies

Temperature and Moisture Gradients Drive the Shifts of the Bacterial Microbiomes in 1000-Year-Old Mausoleums

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