Uncovering the past: digital photography and African rock art

2,773 views · Published 8 January 2016 · 3:23 · Indexed 28 September 2026

Channel: The British Museum · 2016 · Education

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African rock art paintings, which can be tens of thousands years old, are very susceptible to fading. Some art works now appear all but lost to the passage of time.

British Museum curator Elizabeth Galvin and her team are currently working with digital photographs and photo-manipulation software to see rock paintings which have moved beyond the capabilities of the human eye.

For more information visit: http://britishmuseum.org/africanrockart

The African rock art image project is supported by the Arcadia Fund.

Follow curator Elizabeth Galvin on twitter: @LisaGalvin_BM

Photos copyright: TARA/David Coulson

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