Tourists filmed defacing ancient Utah petroglyphs at famous destination
Two people who allegedly damaged ancient petroglyphs at a cultural site in southern Utah are wanted by police.
The Kane County Sheriff’s Office received a report Saturday about a man and a woman vandalizing ancient Native American petroglyphs on a hiking trail.
The trail is right on the border of Arizona and the carvings were located between the Wire Pass and Buckskin Gulch hiking trails.
The pair were recorded hanging around the petroglyphs and possibly carving into the rock. They were also later seen in the parking lot.
They reportedly left the area in a black sedan.
Harry Barber, the district manager of the Paria River District, the tract of federal land where this incident occurred, said this behavior is not normal.
‘This is unique and I would like to point that out. The area where this happened in Wire Pass is a popular area,” he said CUTV.
“These people wrote their names on the panel, whatever, and members of the public told them, ‘Hey, you shouldn’t be doing this,’ and these individuals blew them off and basically ignored those members of the public. he said.
These two individuals, previously unknown, were caught on camera appearing to destroy a wall with ancient Native American carvings on it
The suspects were also caught in the parking lot before going inside
If anyone recognizes the suspects or their vehicle, they were asked to call the sheriff’s office directly at 435-644-2668.
Federal land managers from the Bureau of Land Management, including Barber, are offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who can provide information leading to a “successful prosecution” of the suspects.
Buckskin Gulch features approximately 16 miles of unique formations and undulating sandstone walls,” according to the Bureau of Land Management.
These walls contain carvings of various animals, including bighorn sheep, made by Native Americans centuries ago.
It is not the first time that concerns have been raised about tourists visiting historic sites.
A series of petroglyphs, or petroglyphs, created by Native Americans more than 1,000 years ago were found destroyed in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests in northern Georgia.
Several boulders were found in Track Rock Gap with damage, including five with large scratches and carvings, and two that were painted.
The US Forest Service shared photos of the destruction on Facebook, writing: “We regret to report the vandalism at a protected historic site in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests.”
High desert panorama in southern Utah above Buckskin Gulch on the Utah-Arizona border
The Utah incident comes after several boulders in Track Rock Gap were found with damage, including five with large scratches and carvings, and two that had been painted
The Tribal Heritage Preservation Office spoke on behalf of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians: “Whether through ignorance or malice, the result is irreparable damage to a unique place that directly connects us to the people of the past.”
Photos show the varying degrees of damage that occurred on the petroglyphs sometime in 2020, including one that appears to show a couple’s initials.
Track Rock Gap is one of the best-known rock art sites in the southeastern United States and is the only one of its kind on public land in Georgia.
The site, about 90 miles northeast of Atlanta, is home to petroglyphs found by explorers before the year 1800, and the earliest evidence of carvings dates back at least 3,600 years.
Sites on public lands are protected by the Archaeological Resources Protection Act and the damaged petroglyphs are considered an irreplaceable part of the national heritage.