Lascaux in Peril

[Kelly]

Not sure where this should go. Maybe the conservation or archeology section. I posted it here, feel free to move it...

Hi everyone! I just received an important email from my friend, Dr. Jean Allan, of the U.S. Forrest Service who is an expert in paleo cave art. She is wanting cavers to spread the word about what is happening in Lascaux in France. Apparently they have developed the cave for visitors and in doing so have installed a system that is not protective of the famous Lascaux paintings.

A new air system was installed in the cave in 1998, and the workers apparently did not clean themselves well enough prior to entering the cave allowing excess mold, likens, and bacteria to grow. Just two years later, the problem was becoming visible. The current operators of the cave have tried to solve the problem by spraying antibiotics and other harmful sprays in the cave, but the bacteria, came back even worse as it was now resistant to the antibiotics. Also, the spraying in the cave apparently was not good for the paintings. The new forced air system is also not providing the right climate for the paintings. As we all know, caves are very specific environments with special moisture/temperature needs in order to remain preserved. Archeology is especially prone to destruction when removed from a cave or when a cave environment is changed - things dry out, peal, crack, turn to dust, etc.

Today the problem is persisting, and the current cave management have only hurt the cave with everything they have done. If you want to help, there is an organization that is putting funding together to install (or unistall, as the case may be) proper systems. The group, International Committee to Save Lascaux, is looking for people to join them by making a $ donation and/or help in raising public awareness in groups that would care and/or make press contacts and/or make personal contacts with high profile people and other professionals who would be interested in joining the effort and/or a letter writing campaign.

The letter writing campaign is the cheapest and easiest way to help out. If you want to write letters here are the addresses:

Monsieur Renauld DONNEDIEU DE VABRES
Ministre de la Culture
3 Rue de Valois
75001 Paris

and/or:

His Excellency Jean-David LEVITTE
Ambassade de France
4101 Reservoir Road, NW
Washington, DC 20007

Express your wishes for better management and for the International Committee to Save Lascaux be heard and allowed to repair the problems in the cave.

Feel free to pass this message along.

[Azurerana]

Which Lascaux are they talking about? I thought the original was CLOSED in 1963 to all but a very few prestigious visitors, for a very few minutes at a time and a fake Lascaux had been built nearby, where the thundering hordes could gawk at reproduction pictures. Most of the hue and cry over this mold problem seemed to have peaked about 2003--dates of a Net search on Lascaux Cave threatened. The problem probably persists, as no answer has been announced, but is there some reason it has gone critical in 2006?

There is another effort underway to reproduce the cave, this time as a portable cave which can be shipped round the world.

What many people are missing here (and I'm just a seat of the pants person interested in cave art, by no means an expert in it) what is precious about the cave art caves isn't just the pretty pictures on the walls. It is the sense of sacredness in the space. It's the ambiance, if you will, and that cannot be reproduced elsewhere.

While preserving the original is a worthy cause, most people will never get there, nor have the experience of being in an actual pictorial cave. It's eerie--everyone should experience it, if only once in a lifetime. It's not the artwork per se which is of so much value. It is what lurks in the shadows of these caves.

[L Roebuck]

In July 2001 we were in France on the Grotte XVI Cave Project. While on that project a visit was pre-arranged to Lascaux and we also visited some of the other cave art caves, like Rouffignac Cave. When we visited Lascaux they talked about dealing with a mold problem, with no mention of 'Lascaux in Peril', but they had prevention measures in place. At the beginning of our cave tour each one of us were instructed to place our boots in a container of antibacterial anti-fungal solution before we were even allowed to enter the first vault like door. Then we proceeded through about four more air lock doors before entering the cave. Between each door was a small room, which if memory serves me correctly, was to keep any contaminates out of the cave and away from the wonderful cave art. We were not allowed to even take a camera in the cave. At the time I assumed that was because the light from the cameras flash may cause the growth of algae and/or the deterioration of the art.

Anyway, I'm still in awe of the cave, the art and the conservation measures at Lascaux Cave.

Lascaux Cave Property Gate

[Azurerana]

So, Lynn, were they letting anyone in, was this a special tour, or what?

I've heard from a lot of folks that they've been turned away.
Azurerana

[L Roebuck]

Azurerana, yes, it was a pre-arranged educational visit by the archaeologist(s) who were overseeing the Grotte XVI Cave Project that we were on. If memory serves the Grotte XVI Project ran approximately 30 days that summer. No doubt we were very fortunate to have been allowed a visit to Lascaux and are still thankful for that opportunity. Educational opportunites such as these has helped greatly to educate us as cavers in locating, identifying and helping to protect cave art in our area.


U.S. Cavers Forum: Saving Beauty - France's Lascaux Cave

Reference:
Battle on to Save Lascaux Paintings 03/28/03