Looters steal 500-year-old cave painting using electric saw, Mexico officials say
Archaeologists in Mexico responded to a complaint and discovered looters had stolen a historic cave painting that’s at least 500 years old.
Officials condemned the damage but have not identified any suspects.
The Coahuila branch of Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) received a citizen complaint about damage to La Cueva Pinta, according to a joint Jan. 8 news release from the institute and Mexico’s Ministry of Culture. The cave site is decorated with over 150 paintings ranging from 5,000 years old to 500 years old.
Archaeologist Yuri de la Rosa Gutiérrez investigated and found one painting had been stolen and two others damaged, officials said. Photos show the blank rectangular sections surrounded by red and orange designs.
Looters used an electric saw to cut out the paintings, officials said. Fragments of painted rock were found on the ground nearby.
The stolen painting depicted a human hand, officials said.
Mexico’s Ministry of Culture and INAH strongly condemned the destruction and said it caused irreparable damage to the historical site. INAH filed a complaint with the justice department over the incident but did not mention any leads on suspects in the release.
Mexico’s national archaeological sites are protected by federal law.
La Cueva Pinta is near Cuatro Ciénegas in central Coahuila, a state of northern Mexico bordering Texas.
Google Translate was used to translate the news releases from Mexico’s Ministry of Culture and National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).
This story was originally published January 10, 2025 at 2:32 PM with the headline "Looters steal 500-year-old cave painting using electric saw, Mexico officials say."
