Saving a fragile legacy

Abstract

Science and technology interact with art and culture in many ways. Both involve knowledge and investigation—some philosophers would maintain—and nature and its representation lie at their core (Frazzetto, 2004). But their interactions extend further: the arts draw both inspiration and new materials from science, while the scientific examination of art and artefacts has provided us with important insights into the progress of human civilizations. Now, science—in particular the biological sciences—might have an even more important role: to protect and conserve mankind's often fragile, cultural heritage for future generations. This task is particularly difficult given the magnitude and diversity of objects involved, and the enormous variety of different materials used—for example, stone, metal, ceramics, synthetic substances, and organic matter derived from plants and animals. A classic example of art under threat is found in the cave of Lascaux in southwest France. Discovered accidentally in 1940, the cave contains some of the finest paleolithic drawings and polychrome rock paintings in the world, dating back some 17,000 years. Herds of giant aurochs and other wild mammals—realistically depicted in vivid colours—still seem to roam the prairies while seeking salvation from hunting men (Fig 1). These strikingly beautiful images testify to the birth of humans using the abstract to represent reality, and the location was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. But an invading army of fungi, bacteria, algae and moss—their lives made easier by disputing conservators—threatens the artwork. Figure 1. White aurochs, Hall of the Bulls, Lascaux (Montignac, France). Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. The paintings remained intact and fresh until the cave was exposed to tourists after the Second World War, when the rise in temperature and humidity caused a burst of microbial growth, which was first noticed in 1955. The French authorities—worried about the future of the paintings—closed the cave to …