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ST. GEORGE — The future of a petroglyph in St. George is uncertain as urbanization encroaches on its resting spot.
Carved in the cliffs are the stories of St. George's people, the Pueblo, followed by their descendants, the Paiute. Some of the rock carvings are hundreds, if not thousands of years old.
"One of our favorite things to do (as a family) is go look at the petroglyphs," said resident Lori Faldmo. "It's sacred ground, these people, the indigenous people, that settled before we were here."
Petroglyphs are scattered throughout St. George, including the area near Indian Hills Drive and Auto Mall Drive, where recent development efforts are raising concerns about the future of these historical markers.
"I saw the rock next to the bulldozer, and I asked the operator what's going to happen with the rock, and he said he doesn't know," Penrod said, who captured images of the ongoing development. "I'm hoping that it stays on the site."
The petroglyph in question was located near the base of a hill adorned with ancient carvings.
"I used to see it every time I would stop by the old Maverik gas station to get gas," Penrod recalled. "It was that close."
The proximity of these artifacts to modern-day settlers adds to the enchantment of the area. Penrod suggested that the petroglyph be moved closer up the hill to other artifacts.
The legality of the petroglyph
"This is so hard because, as members of the community, we are used to seeing them and they are meaningful to us," said Elizabeth Hora, the public archaeologist at the Utah State Historic Preservation Office. "It can be really hard to see them moved or destroyed."
Hora explained that the petroglyph is on private land, complicating its preservation.
"No one is in trouble; this is private land and it is completely legal (to move it)," Hora said.
Unlike carvings on federal and state lands, which are protected, this particular petroglyph belongs to the property owner, who has the right to determine its fate.
"They are well within their right to move those rocks across their property," Hora said. "However, the owner should not feel like they can transport or sell these across state lines because they will run into federal laws and regulations at that point."
That said, city governments can take proactive measures by creating ordinances that balance preservation with property owners' rights, and prompt a consultation about a petroglyph's placement before development starts.
"This is probably best used as a cautionary tale for the future and a good time for communities to reflect on what they would like to see happen with these kinds of sites," Hora said.
She also noted that the state doesn't have a repository for petroglyphs, leaving the responsibility of preservation to those in legal possession of them.
"There are just millions of homes with millions of artifacts in them; we don't have a place for them," Hora said. "In this particular case, I would recommend leaving it there. If you wanted to contact a local museum to see if they were interested, that might be a possibility with the landowner's permission."
Another caveat applies to cases where human remains are found. In those instances, landowners are required to notify law enforcement.
KSL TV also reached out to the Southern Paiute Agency for comment but has not heard back from them by the time of publication.
