Vandals ruined ancient artwork by leaving a message in the walls of South Australia's Koonalda Cave national heritage site.
According to the BBC, the Aboriginal Mirning people of Australia decorated the cave's chalk limestone walls around 30,000 years ago. They had survived until recently, when thieves broke through the cave's steel barrier and carved a message over the patterns.
"Don't look now, but this is a death cave," said the message. According to Mirning representatives, the art cannot be salvaged or restored.
Uncle Bunna Lawrie, a senior Mirning elder, told the BBC, "It is a betrayal of our country and an insult to our history. What's gone is gone forever, and we'll never get it back."
According to Lawrie, the destruction of the artwork is an example of the "constant disrespect" that the Mirning people have faced.
An investigation into the incident has begun, according to the website.
An assault on the history of Australia's indigenous peoples
According to South Australia's Attorney-General and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Kyam Maher, the vandalism at the site was "truly shocking."
"These caves represent some of the earliest evidence of Aboriginal occupation in that part of the country," he explained.
According to archaeologist Keryn Walshe, who also told The Guardian, the painting could not be saved due to the surface of the wall.
"The vandals caused extensive damage. The artwork cannot be recovered "Walshe elaborated. "The cave's surface is extremely soft. The graffiti cannot be removed without destroying the art beneath "She continued. "Having it defaced to this extent is a massive, tragic loss."
