By Tim Binnall
Authorities in Utah are hoping to identify the misguided miscreants responsible for vandalizing ancient petroglyphs near the community of Moab. Calling attention to the matter on social media, the state's Bureau of Land Management indicated that, on two recent occasions, troublemakers "carved names into or near prehistoric rock art panels" found in the area. In one instance, the vandals reportedly put their tags beside the ancient artwork. The second case was particularly egregious as the graffiti was placed atop the petroglyphs, which are believed to be around 3,300 years old. Stressing the seriousness of the incidents, the agency noted that "these irreplaceable cultural resources are protected under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act."
Those caught vandalizing the ancient artwork could be charged with a federal offense, resulting in "significant fines, imprisonment, and/or exclusion from public lands" if convicted. As such, the Utah BLM asked the public for any help in determining who could have been behind the thoughtless crime. In the meantime, the agency told a local media outlet that experts hope to mitigate some of the damage using "specialized techniques," but fully erasing the tags is likely to be impossible. "While the appearance of this type of vandalism can often be reduced," a BLM spokesperson said, "it cannot always be fully removed."