INAH completes conservation of rock paintings in Chihuahua

The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) has completed a multi-year conservation project at the Cueva de las Monas rock art site in Chihuahua, Mexico. Conducted between 2021 and 2026, the initiative aimed to preserve ancient paintings that had suffered from natural deterioration, graffiti, and unregulated tourism.

The cave, located in the Majalca sierra, contains overlapping pictographs from various historical periods, including the Late Archaic-Transitional period (dating back to approximately 300 BCE), the pre-Hispanic era, Spanish missionary influence in the 17th and 18th centuries, and potential 19th-century Apache connections.

Specialists stabilized high-risk areas and restored sections damaged by human activity. The project also utilized technology to document the paintings and establish protocols for future controlled visits and long-term site management.