The TaphArt project generated the first large-scale experimental datasets on the long-term impact of marine aerosol and wind erosion on ochre-based rock paintings. Until now, the absence of Middle Stone Age (MSA) paintings in southern Africa had been interpreted mainly through cultural hypotheses. TaphArt moves beyond this by providing solid empirical evidence that taphonomic processes could have played a decisive role in the preservation—or loss—of painted imagery. This represents a paradigm shift in the study of the origins of symbolic behaviour, as it demonstrates that the absence of evidence in the archaeological record cannot be simply equated with evidence of absence.
Methodologically, the project goes beyond the state of the art by designing and implementing a pioneering actualistic experimental programme that integrates climatic chambers, sandstorm chambers, and advanced archaeometric techniques. The resulting reference datasets offer, for the first time, quantitative criteria to assess the specific impacts of environmental variables such as wind speed, particle concentration, and marine aerosol composition on painted rock surfaces. This contribution establishes the foundations of a new research line—rock art taphonomy—with applications that extend beyond Africa to coastal and inland contexts worldwide.
The potential impacts are significant. In science, the results will refine models of human cognitive and symbolic evolution by reassessing the archaeological visibility of early artistic behaviour. In heritage management, the data provide a robust baseline to design more effective and low-cost conservation strategies for rock art exposed to environmental risks, particularly in resource-limited regions. The predictive models under development will serve as tools for evaluating preservation potential in specific sites, guiding monitoring strategies and preventive conservation.
Future uptake and success will depend on continuing three complementary lines of action: (1) further experimental research to expand the range of variables and binders tested, and to apply the methodology to other sites in southern Africa and beyond; (2) internationalisation and collaboration with heritage agencies to integrate predictive modelling into site management plans; and (3) open science practices to ensure that the datasets and protocols are accessible, interoperable, and reusable by researchers, conservators, and policy-makers.
In this way, TaphArt not only advances archaeological knowledge but also creates a replicable framework with wide-ranging implications for heritage conservation, interdisciplinary science, and the understanding of symbolic behaviour in deep time.
