Vandals destroy art on rocks near Vernal

VERNAL — Vandals engraved names and dates across an ancient art panel near Vernal sometime in the last couple of weeks, according to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

"It's not unlike walking into an art gallery and painting your name across a Van Gogh," said state archaeologist Kevin Jones. "It defaces a piece of our cultural heritage that is irreplaceable."

The panel was one of four examples of the Barrier Canyon style of rock art found in the Vernal area. Experts believe the rock art, ghostly figures with no legs, was created by American Indians several thousand years ago.

The BLM is trying to determine if the art, 175 miles east of Salt Lake City, is on federal or state property. A BLM employee performing a routine check discovered it.

"They pretty well destroyed it," BLM archaeologist Blaine Phillips said of the vandals.

Anyone with information about the incident should call 435-781-4400.