"In the time before written language, our most important stories were recorded as images on rocks and cave walls. Art defines our species. The creation of art over 130,000 years ago was humanity’s first true innovation. But all over the globe, the earliest human art works are increasingly threatened with destruction. To date there has been no unified effort to record and preserve this fragile legacy. The Ancient Art Archive uses photography, advanced 3D modeling and VR technology to preserve those stories.
Front and back cover: Stephen Alvarez, Rock shelter on Barrier Creek, Horseshoe Canyon, Utah.
Stephen Alvarez, Detail of Great Gallery of Horseshoe Canyon, Wayne County, Utah. The Great Gallery is the "type site" for Barrier Canyon Style rock art.
"In 2018 the Ancient Art Archive:
> documented thousands of individual works of art;
> discovered monumental, unknown prehistoric artworks;
> mapped one of the largest precolumbian murals in North America;
> pioneered using VR technology to explore and preserve ancient works of art.
"The Ancient Art Archive explores all six continents where prehistoric paintings and engravings exist in situ. With the help of leading archeologists and art historians, the Archive identifies the most artistically, historically and culturally significant works. Using photography, 3D modeling, and virtual reality technology, they record each piece in a way that captures its power and beauty. The Archive allows users - who may never be able to visit these far flung places - to experience that work as if they were standing in front of it. The Archive allows the deep past to move and inspire us across time and beyond language." Ancient Art Archive, ancientarcharchive.org
The North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association® is proud to help spread the word about this amazing initiative and to bring awareness to the treasures that the Ancient Art Archive is preserving for future generations. I hope you will visit their site, explore the beautiful images and models they have created and share!
Virginia Phillippi
Executive Director
View the digital model of Great Gallery: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/great-gallery-march-2017-67eb452607a2463dba0f7813c6afdad5?utm_medium=embed&utm_source=website&utm_campain=share-popup
Read more about Horseshoe Canyon: https://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/upload/HorseshoeBook.pdf