Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh will digitally document and map ancient rock art sites and historic murals under a new conservation programme, with Chandauli, Sonbhadra and Mirzapur selected for the first phase.The state archaeology directorate and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi, will jointly conduct surveys, documentation and condition assessments of rock art sites in the three districts.The exercise will create a digital archive for research and monitoring while helping prepare site-specific conservation plans. The programme will also cover surviving murals at protected monuments, especially paintings dating from the 15th to 19th centuries.Reviewing implementation of the September 2025 agreement between the archaeology directorate and IGNCA, additional chief secretary (tourism, culture and religious affairs) Amrit Abhijat directed officials to prepare an annual action plan.“These paintings preserve stories of earlier generations, their beliefs, imagination and way of life. Conserving them means protecting both the artwork and the knowledge it carries,” Abhijat said.The documentation will record the location, features and condition of each site. Experts will carry out field inspections before finalising conservation measures, while archaeological exploration and excavation may be undertaken at select locations based on survey findings.A specialised workshop is also planned to train technical staff, artisans and assistants in the historical significance of the paintings and scientific conservation techniques.
