Somebody stole a rock in Peachtree City recently, and local conservationists want it back.
Not just any rock, but a 250-pound-plus boulder with a carved pictograph on its face thought to have been inscribed by an ancient artist, perhaps before Europeans arrived on the American continent.
Southern Conservation Trust Executive Director Pam Young describes the loss:
“Just recently, a pictograph decorated boulder approximately 20 inches by 12 inches by 12 inches was removed from Line Creek Nature Area in Peachtree City. Perhaps you have seen this boulder during a hike in the park, or had heard about it from others and looked forward to seeing it for yourself someday. The personal experience of visiting this ancient expression is now lost to all in our community, unless we can influence the return of this artifact, “ Young wrote to The Citizen.
“The pictured petroglyph is what has disappeared from the Line Creek Nature Area. Someone likely thought the petroglyph would be a great addition to their personal garden or yard. Unfortunately, there are some individuals in our community who either do not consider public historic preservation important or do not realize that damage or removal of artifacts from our public parks and private lands without permission is a violation,” Young wrote.
Trust members want the purloined boulder returned, no questions asked. “If you or anyone you know has this petroglyph please return it to the nature area. If it is returned there will be no further questions or actions taken by Southern Conservation Trust,” Young wrote.
And Trust members want such thefts to stop. “When you visit our public nature areas, if you see a questionable disturbance or removal of any material from our parks in progress, please call the Police Department immediately, and make note of the vehicle and activity,” Young wrote.
Such a theft diminishes the community, Young explained. “We have many local sites of significant Native American habitation as well as industrial development preserved today on both public and private lands. Traces of villages, houses and mills have been found and are even alive today as ruins and trail marker trees. Those elements yet not disturbed are our collective legacy to preserve and protect for the future. Once lost or destroyed, archeological sites and treasurers are gone forever,” Young wrote.
Based on the dimensions of the inscribed stone, even a sandstone boulder would weigh a minimum of 250 pounds, not exactly a one-person hoisting job. A granite or limestone boulder would weigh even more, marking the theft as more than a spur-of-the-moment pickup.
