Fungus threatens famous prehistoric caves [ Lascaux cave paintings ]

Monsters and Critics ^ | 10 May 2006 | UPI

[SunkenCiv]

A white fungus is reportedly threatening the caves of Lascaux in France, in which the rock art has been called the 'Sistine Chapel of prehistory.' The fungus is believed to have been introduced in 2001 when contractors installed an air conditioning system to preserve the 17,000-year-old cave paintings from heat and humidity generated by visitors, The Independent reported Wednesday. Researchers told the newspaper the historical importance of the Paleolithic caves is immeasurable, since the cave`s paintings are an evolutionary icon for the development of human art and consciousness... Scientists are removing, by hand, visible filaments of the fungus -- a species identified as Fusarium solani, Time magazine reported.

[SunkenCiv]

An unpostable source noted that rainwater rushed into the cave during this work to air condition and that may have introduced the spores. For some reason this reminds me of the time the French police tracked down Carlos "The Jackal" and let him go into the bathroom to get his toothbrush -- and he returned with an automatic weapon and shot all the officers.

[SunkenCiv]

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[muawiyah]

Fortunately these are no longer the oldest of their kind. Their loss, though enormous, is not total.

[Salamander]

Cave art is actually the very first occurence of rudimentary airbrushing.
They spat/blew pigments around their hands theat they'd placed against the wall.
[sort of like the very first use of Frisket or Artool templates]
The very first "modern" airbrushes were based on the hollow bone/reed principle and mouth-blown, same as those used by cave artists.

Here is a huge image from a cave in South America that shows the style in great detail;

http://www.downtheroad.org/southamerica/images/New_Folder13/DSCii00012.JPG

The same technique was used to get the wonderfully subtle shadings on the animals.
I airbrush and years ago I did a t-shirt with the Lascaux "Great Hall of Bulls" art on it but nobody got the 'joke'.....:(

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

WOW! we got past 5 posts and no one blamed it on Bush yet?

/h

On a serious note, this is sad, the Lascaux paintings are wonderful.

[SunkenCiv]

I suppose that the Great Hall of Bull is the DP nominating convention? ;')

[SunkenCiv]

I think Scooter Libby and Karl Rove, and maybe Cheney, are really behind it... ;')

[Salamander]

LOL!

It oughta be....:))