| Connie Silver works to clean the vandalism from the Buckhorn Panel. |
The Buckhorn Panel has been restored, again. Vandalism took place at the panel sometime in July. Words and a sketch were drawn on the panel underneath the rock art. The State Bureau of Land Management paid for Connie Silver from New York to come and repair the panel. Over the weekend, she did just that removing the original damage and also damage which resulted from someone’s ill advised attempt to clean the panel themselves.
Reed Martin from Castle Dale said Silver is a world renowned conservator and has completed restoration projects all over the world. She was accompanied to the site by state BLM archaeologist, Julie Howard.
Martin said, “It looks perfect, again. She also did some touch ups on some spots while she was there. The restoration work tends to deteriorate over time. When someone tried to clean off the panel where, ‘I love Wendy,’ was sketched, they actually did more damage. We had a sign there at the panel which said the panel had been vandalized, but to leave it alone as someone was coming to do the repairs. They tried to hide the drawing with mud they smeared around on it, this complicated things. Chances are it was the same person who did the original damage, but we have no evidence to substantiate our suspicions.”
The panel looks good again, but the Emery County Sheriff’s Office is still looking for information on the damage at the panel. A $1,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of parties responsible. Call the sheriff’s office at 381-2404 to report anything you know about the vandalism incident.