Mesa Verde National Park officials published recently made graffiti that destroyed archaeological artefacts and the side of a sandstone cliff dwellings within the park, located in Colorado, USA.

The site, located in South-west corner of Colorado’s Mesa Verde is known for its cliff dwellings, that were inhabited by the Pueblo people. The dwellings within the cliffs were created in late 1190s, after the Pueblo people lived on top of the mesa for around 600 years. They are considered as being one of the most notable and best preserved on the North American continent. Recently, vandals have covered the face of the cliff with graffiti, and also destroyed archaeological artefacts. Some of the names, left by the vandals are rubbed onto the sandstone using prehistoric charcoal that some visitor dug up in an archaeological site along the Petroglyph Point Trail. Moreover, letters and shapes were carved into prehistoric grinding slicks on the Petroglyph Point Trail, permanently damaging these artefacts. Officials have found rocks stacked to mark trails. They say those markings can lead visitors off established trails into dangerous areas. Also, rocks are being painted and left in the park for a social media scavenger hunt.

(after US National Park Service & Fox31 Denver)