Desert Racers Demolish Art Carved by Ancient People in Chile:
Preservationists say governments at all levels have failed to prevent authorized and illegal ...
nytimes.com/2024/09/24/science/geoglyphs-atacama-desert-rallies.html
Photo: nytimes.com · view article
Ancient Desert Art Damaged by Off-Road RacingIn Chile, 3,000-year-old geoglyphs face irreversible harm from hundreds of annual off-road racers traversing the Atacama Desert.
Key FactsSep 25, 2024 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: nytimes.com
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: nytimes.com
- Both authorized and illegal off-road events have severely harmed ancient animal and human figures in Chile’s Atacama Desert.
- Hundreds of racers annually compete with all-terrain vehicles, leaving tire tracks across one of the driest places on Earth.
- Drone footage reveals extensive damage to the geoglyphs in Alto Barranco, considered the desert’s historical record.
- Preservationists condemn the insufficient governmental action to protect these archaeologically significant sites.
It’s a tragedy.— Luis Pérez Reyes, director of the Regional Museum of Iquique, speaks about the destruction of the geoglyphs.
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