JENSEN, Utah (KUTV) — Federal authorities are investigating damage to a significant archaeological site in Uintah County where climbing bolts were illegally installed on the historic Pregnant Sheep Petroglyph Panel.
The panel, located off Highway 40 about halfway between Jensen and the Utah-Colorado state line, is one of many invaluable prehistoric rock art sites in the state document the ancient cultural heritage of indigenous tribes.
The damage was discovered on Nov. 10.
The Bureau of Land Management is asking for the public’s help in identifying those responsible for installing the climbing bolts on the protected rock art panel.
The damage affects an area containing prehistoric petroglyphs depicting human and animal figures that hold cultural and historical significance – which could mean serious penalties under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act.
First-time offenders may receive fines up to $10,000 and imprisonment up to one year. If the archaeological resources damaged are valued at more than $500, penalties can double, with the potential of up to $20,000 in fines and possible imprisonment up to two years.
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Violators may also be required to pay for site restoration and forfeit any equipment used in the damage.
The site falls under the protection of federal and state laws, which safeguard prehistoric artifacts and sites on public lands. This incident follows a similar case from 2021 near Moab, where climbing bolts were also found damaging ancient rock art.
The perpetrator in that case took responsibility for the damage in April of that year. Although those bolts were removed, archaeologists determined the damage to be permanent.
Anyone with information on the person or people responsible for the Pregnant Sheep damage are asked to contact the BLM at 800-722-3998 or 801-539-4099.
Matthew Jacobson reported from Salt Lake City
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