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Associate Professor, Department of Interior Design and Environmental Design, Afyon Kocatepe University , Afyonkarahisar , Turkey
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Master’s Program in Art and Design, Afyon Kocatepe University , Afyonkarahisar , Turkey
Associate Professor, Department of Graphic Design, Bandırma Onyedi Eylül University , Bandırma , Turkey
Among the most important aspects of the cultural heritage of mankind, rock art and natural shelters have both aesthetic and practical purposes, as well as help to improve the psychological state, symbolic communication, and ergonomics. The paper examines rock art and natural shelters in three major frames, namely: (1) their symbolic and psychological functions, (2) the biophilic impact of these shelters on human well-being, and (3) the ergonomic features of the shelters. Integrating foreign literature, comparative case studies, and survey data (n = 69), the authors discovered that 78 % of the study members attribute rock art to collective identity, whereas 80 % find natural shelters as a soothing and stress-relieving setting. Moreover, 70 % of the interviewees claim ergonomic advantages, in this case, due to thermal stability and acoustic features of natural shelters. Four out of ten participants, however, reported that they were uncomfortable because the spaces were humid, darker, and hard. The research indicates that the natural shelters and rock art may have been useful as well as critical in controlling emotions, group membership, and mental well-being. The results recommend the combination of psychological and ergonomic aspects in the current conservation methods. As a prospective study, the future study is to adopt quantitative techniques like the use of the biometric sensor and neuroimaging in offering more objective data regarding the psychological impact of rock art and natural shelters. Also, conservation practices ought to focus on biophilic design and the comfort of the visitors, whereby inventions such as virtual reality replicas should be considered to minimize the impact of the visitors. The interdisciplinary studies involving archaeology, psychology, and ergonomics are needed in order to formulate all-inclusive approaches towards conservation of the cultural heritage without losing the interest of the population.
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