Remote monitoring of rock art shelters: an innovative application in the Cultural Park of Albarracín

Abstract The Sierra de Albarracín (Teruel, Spain) hosts notable post-Palaeolithic rock art, including the Toros del Prado del Navazo shelter. Although the Rock Art of the Mediterranean Arc is a World Heritage Site, its conservation faces environmental and human threats. Since 2013, monitoring in Aragón’s cultural parks has depended on periodic on-site data collection, limiting timely analysis. The integration of Internet of Things (IoT) technology at Toros del Prado del Navazo has improved conservation by enabling continuous remote environmental monitoring. This reduces the need for physical visits, lowering annual greenhouse gas emissions by 75% (from 197.20 to 49.30 kg CO₂eq) and minimising data gaps from 36% with traditional dataloggers to 5.9% in this particular case. IoT-based diagnostics allow faster decision-making, enhancing the preservation of rock paintings and promoting a sustainable, integrated management model for long-term protection of cultural heritage.