State of Conservation of World Heritage Properties in SECTION II

conspicuously invaluable nature of human renderings which are of so great an antiquity. (vi). The rock engravings of Val Camonica constitute an extraordinary figurative documentation Rock Drawings in Valcamonica of prehistoric customs and mentality. The systematic interpretation, topological classification, Brief description and the chronological study of these configurations in stone have brought about a considerable Valcamonica, situated in the plain, has contribution to the fields of prehistory, sociology one of the world's greatest collections of prehistoric and ethnology. – more than 140,000 symbols and figures carved in the rock over a period of 8,000 Committee Decision years and depicting themes connected with agriculture, navigation, war and magic. The Committee made no statement.

• Statement of Significance does not adequately 1. Introduction defines the outstanding universal value of the Year(s) of Inscription 1979 site • Proposal for text has been made by State Party: Agency responsible for site management The Valle Camonica rock art constitutes the • Soprintendenza for Archqeological Heritage of most important assemblage of this kind of Lombardia manifestation of human thought in the world. E. De Amicis 11 The valley’s rock art heritage, composed of 20123 Milano, Italy over 140,000 engraved figurations distributed E-mail: [email protected] on about 2,400 rocks, is an extraordinary [email protected] expression of human creativity over a period of Website: www.soprintendenza- more than 8,000 years, from the Epipalaeolithic archeologica.lombardia.it to the Roman and Medieval periods. The number, chronological distribution and variety of the engravings determine the exceptional 2. Statement of Significance value of this assemblage Inscription Criteria C (iii), (vi) Boundaries and Buffer Zone • Status of boundaries of the site: adequate Justification provided by the State Party • Buffer zone: The site is composed of an The rock art of Val Camonica consists of more than articulated group of rock-art sites (over 180) 140,000 prehistoric drawings, carved on nearly distributed in the territory of 24 councils in the 2,400 rocks; the group of sites is the most important lower, middle and upper valley, at an altitude example of this kind of expression of the human which extends from 200m to 2,000m above sea spirit known in the world. The carvings range from level. In middle valley, which contains the 7 the Epipaleolithic period 8,000 years B.C., up to the main sites are already established Parks During beginning of our era. the development of the Management plan, a buffer zone was established around the 7 rock- This art represents an extraordinary achievement of art sites. During the development of the human creativity. It goes back to a very distant Management Plan, the boundaries of the 7 past, and provides unique documentation on 8,000 Parks were drawn on maps in various and years of human history. buffer zones defined

As provided in ICOMOS evaluation Status of Authenticity/Integrity ICOMOS recommends that this property be • World Heritage site values have been inscribed on the World Heritage List, based on maintained criteria (iii) and (vi). • Since the inscription of the site in the World Heritage List its value has been increased by (iii). The rock engravings of Val Camonica stretch the identification of new archaeological remains back over the 8 thousand years which precede our strictly connected to the rock art and by the present era. It is unnecessary to accent the increasing number of studies concerning the State of Conservation of World Heritage Properties in Europe SECTION II

engravings. In addition, the integrity of the consulting group was set up. It includes, as a context has been safeguarded by means of subcommittee, those involved in educational careful control, which has lead to services activities connected with the rock engravings. being moved (such as electricity pylons and the Mandate: to elaborate and initiate a road “Strada Statale 42”) Management Plan for UNESCO site • Management by the State Party; Several Parks within the site are directly administered by local 3. Protection authorities; On the basis of current legislation Legislative and Administrative Arrangements all are subject to the control of the Ministry of • The site, since it is part of the national Cultural Heritage and Activities archaeological patrimony, is safeguarded by • Site manager to appoint legislation ("Cultural Heritage and Landscape • Levels of public authority who are primarily Code" 2004) which confers the responsibility for involved with the management of the site: tutelage upon the Ministry for Cultural Heritage national regional; local and Activities. In particular, all the rock-art • The current management system is sufficiently localities belonging to the “Rock Drawings in effective Valcamonica” World Heritage Site are already operative, or under development, as Parks by Actions proposed: specific administrative regulations, which are • Coordination between the site’s Parks and incorporated into local planning instruments. museums; Creation of a coordinated system The regulations regarding the National Parks uniting the site’s Parks and museums and Regional Reserves contain indications concerning the management of areas of archaeological, environmental, botanical and 5. Management Plan ethnographic importance. The • Management plan is being implemented council planning regulations were modified in • Implementation commenced: 09/2005 2005 in response to the coming into force of • Very effective Regional Law which identifies “F Zones” in • The Management Plan, recently completed, is which the prehistoric rock art widely present in now being put into practice, with the following the territory must be safeguarded and priorities: - Modifications regarding developed, and allows normal life to continue in administration, display and management in the the town itself. Similar rules will be adopted by Parks, especially in those with deficiencies in the other local authorities, with the coordination one or more of these fields. - Promotion of the of the Soprintendenza for Archaeological site by means of appropriate forms of Heritage communication marketing. -Increased • Since 1979, important improvements have conservation work, until now only carried out by been made: some Parks have been extended, the Ministry-Superintendence; - Organization new rock-art sites have become public property of scientific work according to an agreed and transformed into Parks, others (with joint programme, with emphasis on the archiving public-private ownership) are under and publication of results development as Parks • The protection arrangements are considered highly effective 6. Financial Resources Financial situation 4. Management • State Budget • Regional Reserve and Municipal Parks; local Use of site/property authorities, sponsors • Visitor attraction, national park, religious use, • European Union grant for the computerized municipal park cataloguing of the rock engravings and the

creation of a rock art recording unit Management /Administrative Body • Sufficient • Steering group: set up 20/12/2004. Formally

constituted. Function: a working party was set up to negotiate and develop a Management 7. Staffing Levels Plan; a Declaration of Intent was approved and signed in 2004. A technical and scientific • Number of staff: 25 State of Conservation of World Heritage Properties in Europe SECTION II

• The Superintendence for Archaeological strategy which identify them as belonging to the Heritage has also technical and scientific staff same UNESCO Heritage Site for the planning, direction and supervision of work. Other cultural institutes and organizations which operate on the site also have personnel 10. Scientific Studies for rock art research and teaching. In addition, • Risk assessment, monitoring exercises, various types of associations carry out teaching condition surveys, archaeological surveys activity, organizing guided visits, workshops • 1. Risk evaluation: specific measurements, and exercises in experimental archaeology analyses and studies on the preservation state • Rate of access to adequate professional staff of rocks with engravings, on the causes of across the following disciplines: Very good: deterioration and the level of pollution conservation, management, promotion; good: 2 - Studies concerning the value of the site education; average: interpretation; visitor 3 – Monitoring: In 1997 the Soprintendenza management created the Rock Art Conservation Monitoring • Support of regular volunteers; especially in the Archive, based on a computerized cataloguing field of rock-art reconnaissance and recording, system dubbed IR Web, a tool for mapping and partly conducted by universities and cultural recording the patrimony and its conservation organizations history 4 - Recording the state of preservation: The IR WEB cataloguing systems, which are designed 8. Sources of Expertise and Training in for conservation monitoring use modern Conservation and Management techniques of photogrammetry and digital Techniques photography • The Superintendence for Archaeological 5 - Archaeological field research: Field research Heritage, is responsible for specialist activities aimed at discovering new rock engravings and and is in possession of the relevant personnel, archaeological sites has been carried out active in the fields of archaeological research, throughout the valley. New finds have been the maintenance, conservation, recording and subjects of excavation and recording work development • Training needs: it is necessary to train people, 11. Education, Information and Awareness based in the valley, who can carry out constant Building monitoring and mapping of the state of preservation of the engraved rocks and • Not enough number of signs referring to World collaborate in the recording of this information, Heritage site together with conservation specialists and • World Heritage Convention Emblem used on archive team based in the main some publications Superintendence offices • Adequate awareness of World Heritage among: • Training available for stakeholders local communities, local authorities • Need for awareness raising: it is felt that the recently developed Management Plan will have 9. Visitor Management the effect of increasing awareness among local • Visitor statistics: 415.589 (Parko Nazionale people and administrators, who will be delle Incisioni Rupestri di Capo di Ponte, motivated to suitably modify site development number of tickets), 2004 policy and in more widespread interest in this • Visitor facilities: teaching and information World Heritage Site on the part of visitors classes; Information and teaching aids (panels • Heritage days: in 2005 on the fiftieth and leaflets). Park Bookshop; Service Centre; anniversary of the foundation was organized an the specialist bookshop of Centro Camuno di international conference entitled “Arte rupestre Studi Preistorici is open to the public. Reception della Valle Camonica. Storia delle ricerche: centres: at present there is not a centralized protagonisti, tendenze, prospettive attraverso structure, but several Parks contain educational un secolo” centres. Visitors must inevitably be directed • Web site available www.soprintendenza- along itinerarie. archeologica.lombardia.it/parchivalcamonica/pa • Visitor needs: those Parks which currently lack rco1. In addition, a Rock Art Portal is being services need to be equipped, in line with a developed by the Centro Camuno di Studi uniform display, education and publishing State of Conservation of World Heritage Properties in Europe SECTION II

Preistorici. There exist other websites which Emergency measures taken: deal with rock art in general • Systematic monitoring of state of preservation; • Local participation in the elaboration of the Monitoring of pollution levels for conservation Management Plan which includes different purposes actions to enhance the awareness of the local people about the UNESCO site 13. Monitoring 12. Factors affecting the Property (State of • Formal monitoring programme; the Management Plan details specific indicators Conservation) according to the nature of the site Reactive monitoring reports • World Heritage Committee sessions: 28th 14. Conclusions and Recommended (2004); 29th (2005) Actions

Conservation interventions • Main benefits of WH status: management • Heritage conservation (engraved rocks). Since • Strengths/Weaknesses of management: 1980, annual rock conservation campaigns are 1. Insufficient funding for the ordinary carried out, which include cleaning, administration of the site consolidation and preservation treatment. 2. The inadequacy of funding for the Principal excavations: Since 1980 greater conservation of this patrimony, which requires attention has been paid to the study of both periodic campaigns of maintenance and archaeological sites, which have been conservation, and emergency treatment, excavated by the Superintendence itself or in without which this patrimony will be lost collaboration with the Universities of , 3. The insufficiency of surveillance personnel , Pisa and Trento; Elimination of risks for and, to a lesser degree, of technical staff for buried archaeological heritage: in areas conservation recording and monitoring considered at archaeological risk, all proposed 4. Poor coordination between those who building work is subject to preliminary administer the site, its workforce and its archaeological checks. Engraved rocks in areas research staff open to the public risk damage from the passage of visitors; this is eliminated by the Future actions: construction of walkways. Re-use of historic • Efficient resource use and fund raising. buildings: a historic building, the eighteenth- Organisation responsible: Management Plan century Villa Agostani, has been chosen as Implementation Working Party. Timeframe: seat of the new Museo Nazionale della 2006 Preistoria della Valcamonica • Conservation Plan. Organisation responsible: • Present state of conservation: Patchy Management Plan Implementation Working Party. Timeframe: 2008 Threats and Risks to site • Training courses for teaching personnel and • Development pressure, environmental pressure technical staff for conservation cataloguing and • Specific issues: with regard to risks from socio- monitoring of the heritage. Organisation economic development, the buffer zones responsible: Management Plan Implementation defined in the Management Plan should allow Working Party. Timeframe: 2007 the situation to be adequately controlled. • Creation of computer network connecting the Environmental factors (increased pollution and site’s Parks and museums. Organisation reduction of soil stability leading to accelerated responsible: Management Plan Implementation erosion) are responsible for serious Working Party. Timeframe: 2007 deterioration of engraved rocks, and can be contained only by expensive and ever- increasing territorial management and campaigns of rock maintenance and treatment. Since the phenomenon is on the increase, in the future it may be necessary to periodically renter certain rocks in order to protect them from further deterioration