MSCA TaphArt Project – Photographs and videos of the accelerated ageing experiments

This dataset is part of the MSCA project “TaphArt: exploring the potential existence of rock art paintings in the Middle Stone Age of southern Africa and its destruction due to the action of taphonomic processes” (Grant Agreement No. 101109977). The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). The project investigates the absence of Middle Stone Age rock art in southern Africa—specifically at Blombos Cave—and whether this absence is the result of taphonomic processes rather than cultural choices. It adopts an innovative, interdisciplinary approach drawing on archaeology, paleoenvironmental science, atmospheric science, material science, and analytical chemistry. The dataset gathers photographs and videos documenting the experimental programme of accelerated ageing tests on experimental rock art samples, as well as the preparation of samples and control measurements performed during the experiments. The material is organised into four sub-datasets: Sandstorm chamber experiments (German Aerospace Center – DLR) Climate chamber experiments (University of the Basque Country – UPV/EHU) Samples preparation (University of Bordeaux – PACEA, UMR 5199) Control measurements (3D microscopy, Raman, micro-EDXRF, hyperspectral imaging) All photographs and videos were produced by Dr Neemias Santos da Rosa, and they serve as scientific documentation and visual support for the reproducibility and transparency of the research process.