Terrestrial Rock Coatings

Dorn, Ronald I.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-818234-5.00170-x

Cited by 2 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 190 publications

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“…The formation of rock varnish has been observed in different world environments, but it is noteworthy to notice that its preservation is favored in arid environments. Mn/Fe biomineralization likely occurs under semi-arid environmental conditions, and climatic transitions towards arid environmental conditions hamper the rejuvenation of rock surfaces; this has been reported in many deserts of the world [74]. From the geomorphological point of view, rock varnish plays a twofold role, being sometimes a canvas for engravings, and in other cases the dark veil covering and protecting surfaces (Figure 8).…”

Section: Natural Processesmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Microbial communities contribute to the formation of rock coatings [74], which sometimes have a sheltering effect on rock surfaces [33]. The most recurrent example of coatings formed after biogeochemical weathering and relevant to rock art research is Mn-and/or Fe-rich rock varnish.…”

Section: Natural Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The most recurrent example of coatings formed after biogeochemical weathering and relevant to rock art research is Mn-and/or Fe-rich rock varnish. Rock varnish is the biochemical accumulation of manganese (and/or iron) oxyhydroxides thanks to the mediation of microorganisms [74][75][76][77]. The formation of rock varnish has been observed in different world environments, but it is noteworthy to notice that its preservation is favored in arid environments.…”

Section: Natural Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Sustainability of Rock Art: Preservation and Research

Zerboni

Villa

et al. 2022

Sustainability

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Rock art is a widespread cultural heritage, representing an immovable element of the material culture created on natural rocky supports. Paintings and petroglyphs can be found within caves and rock shelters or in open-air contexts and for that reason they are not isolated from the processes acting at the Earth surface. Consequently, rock art represents a sort of ecosystem because it is part of the complex and multidirectional interplay between the host rock, pigments, environmental parameters, and microbial communities. Such complexity results in several processes affecting rock art; some of them contribute to its destruction, others to its preservation. To understand the effects of such processes an interdisciplinary scientific approach is needed. In this contribution, we discuss the many processes acting at the rock interface—where rock art is present—and the multifaceted possibilities of scientific investigations—non-invasive or invasive—offered by the STEM disciplines. Finally, we suggest a sustainable approach to investigating rock art allowing to understand its production as well as its preservation and eventually suggest strategies to mitigate the risks threatening its stability.

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Section: Natural Processesmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Natural Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Natural Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Sustainability of Rock Art: Preservation and Research

Zerboni

Villa

et al. 2022

Sustainability

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“…examining varnish surfaces for areas of Mn-Feenrichment compared to adjacent varnish (Dorn, 1998;Dorn et al, 1992;Dorn and Oberlander, 1981a, 1981b. Since varnish accumulates slowly in hot deserts, this sort of in situ evidence should not be a common observation.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Figure 1(A) also illustrates the importance of trace/minor elements, where asterisks indicate the location of electron microprobe measurements of PbO. The upper few microns have a strong lead spike (Figure 1(A)) from 20th century pollution (Dorn, 1998;Spilde et al, 2013).…”

Section: What Is Rock Varnish?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Rock varnish revisited

Dorn

2024

Progress in Physical Geography: Earth and Environment

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Investigators seeking to solve the mystery of rock varnish formation have yet to embrace hypothesis testing. Thus, this paper presents nine tests that assess the validity of the eight hypotheses proposed over the last four decades to explain varnish formation. An almost singular focus on manganese (Mn)-enrichment by many in varnish research may have led to six of the eight hypotheses failing to explain iron (Fe)-enrichment, as well as why clay minerals dominate the composition of rock varnish. Many varnish researchers displayed a sampling bias by collecting samples only from hot and dry deserts; thus, it should be of no surprise that four hypotheses failed a test of explaining varnishes in different climates; five hypotheses failed to explain varnishes in subsurface locations; and seven hypotheses failed to explain differences in varnish growth rates in hot deserts versus wetter locations. In the end, seven of eight proposed hypotheses to explain varnish formation failed more than five tests, any one of which would falsify the hypothesis. Only one hypothesis “passed” all nine tests.

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Terrestrial Rock Coatings

Cited by 2 publications

References 190 publications

The Sustainability of Rock Art: Preservation and Research

The Sustainability of Rock Art: Preservation and Research

Rock varnish revisited

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