Decorated Palaeolithic cave sites as a tourism resource

Palaeolithic ¹ cave paintings represent some of the earliest examples of human art, but presenting cave paintings and cave art to the public is becoming increasingly problematic. Escalating visitor numbers at many sites are having a detrimental effect on the cave art. This in turn is leading to some sites closing to the public or limiting visitor numbers to prevent further degradation of the art. This chapter looks at the options available that allow the public to appreciate decorated caves, and considers the role that virtual solutions can play.