Even Picasso was Impressed
Mon, Jul 21, 2008 by Jim
A group of scientists and historians claims that half of the prehistoric cave paintings at Lascaux in southern France are endangered by fungus. UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee agrees with the assessment, and has given the French government six months to report on its efforts to save the paintings.
The cave, with its 17,000 year-old images of bison, horses, wild cattle, and ibex, was discovered in 1940, then closed to the public in 1963. Experts suspect that a change in the air-conditioning system, the use of high-powered lights in the cave, and allowing too many “special” visits have contributed to the fungal infection.
Library Resources—Cave Paintings
Leave a Reply