New images show ancient AZ site scarred by border wall workIn April 2026, construction crews working on the U.S.-Mexico border wall in Arizona’s Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge inadvertently damaged the Las Playas Intaglio, a 272-foot-long fish-shaped geoglyph. Recent research has revealed that this ancient artwork is significantly older than previously thought, dating back at least 6,500 years, making it the oldest known geoglyph in the Americas. (biologicaldiversity.org)
The Las Playas Intaglio, located on the ancestral lands of the Tohono O’odham Nation, was previously estimated to be around 1,000 years old. However, new studies have placed its creation between 6,500 and 7,500 years ago, predating England’s Stonehenge by approximately 1,500 years and Egypt’s ancient pyramids by about 2,000 years. (azfamily.com)
The damage occurred when a 50-foot-wide corridor was scraped through the geoglyph during border wall construction, severing about 30% of the fish design. This incident highlights the broader threat to public lands, desert ecosystems, and Indigenous heritage sites posed by border wall construction. (outsideonline.com)
The Tohono O’odham Nation has expressed deep concern over the destruction of this sacred site and is actively seeking legal avenues to protect other cultural landmarks from similar damage. The incident underscores the ongoing tension between federal infrastructure projects and the preservation of ancient cultural sites on tribal lands. (search.azpm.org)
In response to the damage, U.S. Customs and Border Protection stated that the remaining portion of the site has been secured and is being protected in place. However, conservation advocates emphasize the need for greater respect and protection of Indigenous heritage sites in the face of ongoing border wall construction. (outsideonline.com)
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding cultural and historical sites, ensuring that such irreplaceable pieces of human history are preserved for future generations.