2 admit to defacing ancient rock-art site

VERNAL — The Bureau of Land Management says two men have admitted to vandalizing an ancient rock-art site on federal land in eastern Utah.

The vandals engraved names and dates across a rock-art panel that was one of four examples of the Barrier Canyon style of rock art found in the Vernal area. Experts believe the rock art, featuring ghostly figures with no legs, was created by American Indians between 2,000 and 4,000 years ago.

The BLM said the men came forward on Monday and admitted to defacing part of the site. The men are from the Wasatch Front, the BLM said.

Criminal charges are pending against the men, and the BLM said that if convicted, they could be fined to pay for the BLM to repair the panel.

In another eastern Utah archaeological incident, the BLM said a Vernal man was cited for removing American Indian artifacts from public lands.