The Rock Stability A Non-Invasive Rapid Field Assessment for Condition Evaluation

That rock art represents an interdisciplinary endeavour would most likely not be disputed. This is reflected in the number of different techniques used to evaluate these priceless heritage resources, which number perhaps close to 100, including this volume, its predecessor, and other multiple other studies (cf., Barnett et al. 2005; Darvill and Fernandes 2014; see also Fitzner, Heinrichs and La Bouchardiere 2002, 2004; Giesen et al. 2013; Hoerlé et al. 2016; Pineda et al. 1997; Pope 2000; Tratebas, Cerveny and Dorn 2004; Wasklewicz et al. 2005). Still, none of these truly offer a rapid, lowcost, easily accessible, non-invasive, field-based assessment of a host panel’s inherent geologic characteristics. Even the recent Condition Assessment and Risk Evaluation (CARE) project (see https://rockartcare.ncl.ac.uk), though useful for documenting a panel’s general surrounding conditions, has a lone, single opportunity to rate “erosion” (and in a yes/no fashion only), though stone deterioration mechanisms remain much more in-depth than “erosion” alone. Gaining insight into a rock art panel’s geologic and geomorphologic stability, therefore, represents a first step in managing this priceless component of cultural heritage for future generations. In fact, while perhaps not as flashy as other geo-heritage offerings, rock art nonetheless plays a role in tourism – in some places more than others. Most every country in the world hosts some type of rock art, and often even highly significant (and sacred) sites remain open to the casual tourist. A limited number of these rock art sites are well-funded enough to receive intense supervision and careful curation. Most, however, are left to the elements with perhaps a lone caretaker to watch them deteriorate. Being able to quickly and accurately assess a rock art host panel’s geologic stability then remains an important aspect for many of these sites since rock art also represents an important tourism component. 5 The Rock Art Stability Index