Agents from the Spanish Civil Guard ’s Nature Protection Service ( SEPRONA ) establish the investigation in May , after coming across the images on Facebook . The berth observe that they were taken in the Sierra Sur de Jaén , a mountain image in southern Spain that ’s protect by the state ’s inheritance cash register .
“ The photographs show that body of water has been poured onto the cave painting , wetting them in purchase order to see them better and entrance a clearer image , ” said the Guardia Civil in a statement learn byCNN .
While that might ’ve given the man a percipient view of the paintings for his Facebook visibility , it ’s likely that no one else will get to see thepaintingsas they were again .
The sedimentary rocks incur in this special part of the Sierra Sur de Jaén are limestone , which is water - soluble ; the salts within them would ’ve initially been break up by the water , before forming a crust when it eventually evaporated . That Earth’s crust , said the Guardia Civil , can cause “ irreparable damage ” .
But as many of the hoi polloi who damage ancient historical evidence end up discover , have a go at it around and you ’ll find out ; the man is now being investigated for crimes against historic inheritance , under lawmaking set out in theSpanish Constitutionto protect the country ’s heritage for future generations .
Probably not how he expected to start his anthropology influencer era .
Across the pool , the US is also all too familiar with similarly destructive trick . Back in 2022 , vandals scratched a racist phrase over2,000 - year - older Native American petroglyphsin Utah , while the one ancient rock art web site that ’s accessible in Zion National Park isthe most graffitied placein the total park .
It ’s part of the reason why the location of so much of the rock graphics in places like national parks remains aclosely guarded enigma , to the dot where there ’s an unspoken rule between those that trip up upon it to not apportion its exact location , out of esteem for preserving and protecting the art .
If you ’re one of the lucky few that gets to see a minute of ancient human history , whether secret or on public display , the advice from the National Park Service is toleave well alone – and leave the water supply bottles for drinking from .
