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| ROCK ART IN DANGER: Code
of Conduct |
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TARA's
Recommended 'Code of Conduct'
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Visits
to rock art sites in remote areas of Africa, such
as in the central Sahara (Niger, Algeria, Libya and
Chad) and in southern Africa (Namibia, Zimbabwe and
South Africa) are becoming popular. Tourist numbers
are increasing and will continue to do so. For the
art, this has both positive and negative aspects.
On the positive side, properly conducted tourism achieves
wider public knowledge and appreciation of the art.
This is clearly important as the art will then stand
a better chance of being valued and protected for
the benefit of future generations. On the other hand,
poorly conducted tourism can lead to the destruction
of paintings and engravings which are part of Africa's
unique cultural heritage. These pages offer brief
guidelines to tourists when visiting rock art sites.
We hope it will be helpful. |
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Visiting
rock art sites
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If
possible, read about rock art before setting out,
as this will immeasurably enhance your understanding
and, thus, your enjoyment. Before visiting sites,
discuss these with your tour operator and make certain
that sufficient time is allowed in your schedule to
view the art properly. Often tour operators are in
a hurry because of time constraints and try to cut
visits short.
Engravings are best viewed
in morning or evening light when the sun rakes across
them, creating shadows in their engraved lines.
Paintings are usually best seen when shaded, as
bright sunlight can obscure faded colours, causing
them to almost disappear.
Be aware of details in the
art; clothes, jewellery, fingers and hooves, association
between peoples and between people and animals.
Spending a few minutes trying to understand what
you are looking at can make a huge difference to
your appreciation of the art. Finally, don't take
things for granted; because your foreign eyes see
a giraffe carved into the rock, you think "giraffe";
but did the artist intend a giraffe or is the giraffe
a symbol of something else, eg. is it perhaps a
spirit person in giraffe form?
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How
to avoid damaging the art and the site
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Nobody
likes being told what to do, but conservation calls
for rules and discipline - given the fact that the
art and the sites themselves are easily damaged -
so we ask you to please follow these guidelines:
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Liquids
thrown or sponged over paintings to enhance
visibility cause incredible damage. Even touching
a painting leaves sweat on the rock, thus speeding
up fading. Never touch rock art or put liquids
on it. |
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Drawing
with chalk in engraved lines to make images
photogenic can destroy later possibilities of
scientifically dating their desert varnish. |
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Walking
over engravings eventually leaves ugly scars
in the rock varnish and seriously damages
fragile images by breaking bits off engraved
surfaces. Climbing slopes and cliffs can dislodge
or break off loose rocks and also cause damage
to engravings. It is better to view engravings
from a distance rather than to climb up to
or over them. |
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Walking
immediately in front of or around rocks with
art on them leaves footprints in the sand,
spoiling the art's environment for others,
particularly for photographers. |
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Discarding
litter - cigarette stubs, matches, wrapping
paper, tissues, bottle-tops, tins and plastic
- causes a mess which someone else must later
clean up and remove. Always carry a plastic
bag with you and place your litter in it for
later disposal. There are no refuse removal
services in the wilderness! |
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If you
need to relieve yourself, find a secluded place
where others are unlikely to go, BURN any paper
you use and bury anything else. |
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If you
intend camping at a site, make certain the camp
is set up more than a hundred metres (100m)
from the art; other tourists hate to arrive
and find visitors already camped next to the
art, spoiling its environment both for viewing
and for photography. |
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If
used at all, radios and other music players
should be tuned as low as possible so that
they do not create a nuisance for other visitors. |
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Always
leave sites and camping areas clean. This
includes limiting the number of vehicle tracks
left in the sand. Dozens of wheel tracks scarring
the sand look horrible and, with the low rainfall,
last for years. It is best to drive in the
tracks of previous visitors so that no new
scars will be left. |
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These
sites and all you find at them are the national
heritage of the country in which you are a
guest, so please respect them. You may find
archaeological artefacts - arrowheads, other
stone tools, beads, etc - lying on the ground.
By all means pick them up and photograph them,
but when you go, leave them where you find
them. |
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We hope that
this information helps you to enjoy your visit.
If you abide by these guidelines, you will help ensure
the art's survival and
that it will be there to enjoy in centuries to come.
Thank you! |
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| Donwload
TARA's Recommnded Code of Conduct (PDF file) |
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French:
low
res (528kb) | high res (1.3 mb) |
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