Rock Art, Archaeology, Boulder Theft and the Law
MSNBC carries an article by Scott Sonner of AP entitled Trial stirs up controversy over rock art: Should ancient petroglyphs be marked or not?
Two men are charged with the theft - from "Indian land" - of two boulders marked with rock art. Their defense is that no official signs marked the boulders. Indeed, government land managers have testified that "such signs would only invite trouble".
The trial has brought up the issue of whether rock art should be marked as such by government officials and be appropriately protected.
The broader legal question is who owns the megaliths? and who owns the rock art? and what are the owners rights AND duties with respect to ancient art?
See my Megaliths.net for background information on ancient rock art and megaliths.