Unesco Word Heritage Site vandalised. Report on damages to Acacus rock art paintings (SW Libya)

The recent vandalism of some paintings and engravings in the Acacus Mts. (SW Libya, central Sahara), a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985, has been the subject of field and laboratory assessment by the Libyan Department of Archaeology (DoA) and the Italian-Libyan Archaeological Mission (Sapienza University of Rome). The damage is extremely severe, and it is unlikely that the paintings can be successfully restored, whereas it is hoped that some engravings can be cleaned. In this paper, we suggest that this umpteenth attack on Libya’s cultural heritage should be seen in a broader perspective: the Libyan authorities, and researchers and scholars working in the area should renew their view of these delicate contexts. Management tools and safeguard approaches should probably be reconsidered, in order to guarantee a better protection of the area.