{"id":8896,"date":"2026-02-26T14:44:31","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T12:44:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ifas.org.za\/research\/?p=8896"},"modified":"2026-05-21T10:33:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T08:33:12","slug":"irn-rahmsa-2023-2027","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ifas.org.za\/research\/uncategorized\/irn-rahmsa-2023-2027\/","title":{"rendered":"IRN RAHMSA – Rock Art Heritage Management in Southern Africa (2023-2027)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In short<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The International Research Network “Rock Art Heritage Management in Southern Africa” (IRN RAHMSA), funded by the CNRS and various cofunders, brings together researchers from diverse backgrounds (anthropology, archaeology, geosciences, heritage studies, human geography), from Botswana, France, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, all sharing a common interest in rock art. The mission of the IRN RAHMSA is to contribute to the dissemination of up-to-date techniques and methodologies in rock art studies, in connection with the results of the COSMO-ART research project<\/mark><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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RAHMSA workshop 1, Erongo Mountains, Namibia, 2023
\u00a9 COSMO-ART programme<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n


What?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The IRN RAHMSA brings together researchers from diverse backgrounds (anthropology, archaeology, geosciences, heritage studies, human geography) and from five countries (Botswana, France, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe) to address the issues raised by rock art heritage management in Southern Africa. In this region, aspects of the widely implemented values-based heritage management doctrine are challenged, like in other parts of the world where culture and population diversity generate overlapping and sometimes conflicting sets of values. Although recent initiatives seek to better account for diversity, they face difficulties in addressing multi-faceted, contextual, conflicting and evolving values, as well as the lack of a holistic and integrated methodological framework. RAHMSA proposes to address this methodological lack by joining the expertise and comparing the perspectives and practices of researchers and heritage practitioners from diverse backgrounds to identify cross-cultural and interacting interest points, adopting to a cosmopolitan approach<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RAHMSA aims to encourage the practical application of results from COSMO-ART<\/mark><\/a> and to structure the regional research on the preservation, presentation and tourism development of rock art sites in Southern Africa<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Where?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The RAHMSA network includes South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe in Southern Africa, and France.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Who?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The RAHMSA network gathers 10 head institutions: <\/p>\n\n\n\n