The two job-share county archaeologists brandished a heap of photocopies in May. "You've got 52 of these" they told me. "That's probably only about ten per cent of the total" I reply. Not seen 'hide nor hair' of them since. The only safe place for Rock Art is in a vault. If it's really odd then everyone denies it's Rock Art. Usually by the argument 'I've not seen it so it can't be there'.

Wasn't there a series of links regarding Irish RA degradation? They seemed to be saying that the acid rain was a factor, but not a massive one.

I've been wondering about that for a bit. When I look at some of the old stone walls that are next to busy roads in my town, it's plainly evident how quickly sandstone can vanish, but it seems fairly localised to the first couple of feet above street level, where the exhaust fumes are thickest during rush hour.

I reckon if the lichen can still grow, it can't be acid rain dissolving the rock art, as the lichen would surely go first, I thought it is supposed to be hyper sensitive to that kind of thing.

Given that a fair bit has already gone, and the rest will presumably go, maybe a cast should be made of the carvings, to preserve an idea of what's left.

It's sad.