Ancient Native American Site Is Defaced in Georgia Forest
Rock faces and boulders bearing figure carvings called petroglyphs were scratched or dabbed with paint, the United States Forest Service said.
Damage caused by vandalism to figure carvings, or petroglyphs, on boulders at Track Rock Gap in the Chattahoochee National Forest in northern Georgia.Credit.U.S. Forest Service
April 7, 2021
An ancient site of carved boulders and rock formations in a Georgia forest that has long been sacred to Native Americans has been vandalized with paint and deep scratches, the United States Forest Service said.
The boulders are part of the Track Rock Gap site in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, a protected area of more than 800,000 acres where more than 100 figure carvings known as petroglyphs were made on soapstone boulders by Native Americans in precolonial times, the service said.
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Vandals cause irreparable damage to 1,000-year-old Native American petroglyphs dailymail.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailymail.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Thousand-year-old Native American rock carvings have been vandalized in the Chattahoochee National Forest
Thousand-year-old Native American petroglyphs, or rock carvings, in Georgia have been vandalized, the US Forest Service said Monday.
The petroglyphs in Track Rock Gap, located in the Chattahoochee National Forest, were carved by Creek and Cherokee people over 1,000 years ago, the Forest Service stated.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is sad and frustrated to learn that Track Rock had been vandalized. These are special and rare sites,” said the Tribal Heritage Preservation Office in a statement. “They are special sites for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and for all people as part of the Heritage of this region. Whether through ignorance or malice the result is irreparable damage to a unique site that connects us directly to the people of the past.”
Chief Federal District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced Craythorn to six months of imprisonment and six months of home detention, followed by two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $31,566 in restitution.
NPS Special Agent Les Seago said the case was the “first significant ARPA felony conviction in Yellowstone National Park.”
According to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice for the District of Wyoming, the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) of 1979 governs the excavation of archaeological sites on Federal lands.
“Those who violate ARPA in national parks threaten the very fabric of our National Park System. They threaten the agency’s ability to preserve cultural resources for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of this and future generations,” Seago said.