Extreme weather threatens the best-kept art of the ancient Silk Road
Research by Greenpeace, set to be released this week, has found that Buddhist artwork in caves across Gansu province is under intensifying assault from the elements as the region gets hotter, wetter and more prone to sudden downpours.
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The intensifying extreme weather is already causing damage in the Mogao Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site at Dunhuang also known as the Thousand Buddha Grottoes. UNESCO says the paintings inside the caves, which depict medieval politics, culture, religion and daily life, have “unmatched historical value.”
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China is in the process of conducting a nationwide survey to build an up-to-date database of historical artifacts over three or four years. Environmental activists and conservationists say the project is an opportunity to extend research on the threat of extreme weather and best practices for combating it at other sites.
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Given the huge number of cultural artifacts at risk and the unpredictable nature of climate change, sometimes the best — maybe only — option is to prepare for the worst to ensure as little ancient history as possible is lost.
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