International Federation of Rock Art Organizations - History

History

The IFRAO was formed in Darwin, Australia on 3 September 1988, during the first major international academic conference dedicated entirely to the study of prehistoric rock art. Nine rock art organizations formed this international federation of independent national or regional bodies. At the founding meeting, it was decided that IFRAO should be a common forum and initiator of policies, projecting or representing the common interests of member organizations without interfering in their autonomy. It would operate as a democratic advisory body in which each member organization would hold one vote, exercised by an official representative. International meetings would be held by nominating suitable rock art conferences as official IFRAO congresses at regular intervals.

Over the subsequent twelve years, the number of affiliate members quadrupled to almost 40, and the current 43 members of IFRAO cover most of the world. The combined memberships of these organizations include about 7,000 rock art specialists, which is practically all such specialists in the world.

Until the late 1980s, individual rock art researchers as well as rock art organizations around the world operated largely without being aware of the work conducted in other parts of the world — sometimes even in their own country or region of activity. As a result, the discipline experienced a great diversity of research approaches and terminology, reflected in a multitude of idiosyncratic constructs, sequences, chronologies, names and definitions. Therefore, one of IFRAO’s initial principal concerns was the standardization of those aspects of the discipline that are essential for effective communication and collaboration: methodology, terminology, ethics, and the technical standards used in analysis and recording. These subjects were addressed through extensive consultation of specialists and, where appropriate, the deliberations of appointed subcommittees.