Digital Analysis of Rock Art in Santa Olaya Canyon: Integrating Cultural Landscape and UAV Technologies for Conservation

Abstract. This research work presents the digital documentation of rock art found on a rock face in the Santa Olaya Canyon, in the municipality of Burgos, Tamaulipas. Unlike rock art found in caves, these open-air expressions are actively integrated with the natural and cultural landscape, functioning as symbolic markers of the territory. Through controlled flights with a DJI Mavic Air 2 drone and 3D photoreconstruction techniques, a difficult-to-access vertical surface of a rock face with rock paintings was recorded with high precision. The methodology employed responds to the need for conservation and study of these sites, which lack institutional protection mechanisms from the INAH (National Institute of Archaeology and History) or, as in this case, conservation and cultural research studies. It also contextualizes the value of rock art in Tamaulipas, particularly in the Sierra de San Carlos, where some of the most significant collections in northeastern Mexico are found and where evidence of theft and vandalism of portions of some of them has been found. The application of non-invasive digital technologies is positioned as an effective tool for the documentation, analysis, and dissemination of archaeological heritage, especially in remote and limited-access regions. The generated orthomosaic and point clouds provide the opportunity to create a digital legacy of the area.