They say art is eternal. But that’s not the case when a photography enthusiast from Facebook gets involved.
In the province of Jaén in southern Spain, police are investigating the damage to ancient rock art caused by a local resident attempting to take an impressive photo for social media.
A 39-year-old man from the town of Los Villares poured water on 6,000-year-old rock drawings in the Sierra Sur de Jaén mountains. He was trying to enhance their appearance for a photo he intended to share on Facebook. This act resulted in the damage of an invaluable historical monument.
The rock paintings in the Sierra Sur de Jaén mountains are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They hold the same cultural significance as Stonehenge or the Great Wall of China. These images are among the oldest in the world, highlighting their exceptional historical importance.
The police launched their investigation in May when photos of the damaged drawings appeared online. The suspect was quickly identified due to his own Facebook post, which indicated his location.
Unfortunately, this is not the first instance of vandalism against ancient art. In 2022, an unidentified person painted the Spanish flag on another nearby cave painting. A similar incident occurred in Australia, where 3,000-year-old rock paintings were damaged.
However, the greatest threat to ancient art comes not from vandals, but from climate change. Rising sea levels make access to some caves with rock art increasingly difficult. For example, in southern France, there is a cave featuring depictions of prehistoric marine animals that can only be reached by diving. Due to rising sea levels, it is becoming more challenging to access, and the tides are starting to wash away the drawings.
Source: Gizmodo
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