What was he Thinking?

 

.

This was in a few papers but South Wales Argus (Iwan Gabe Davies, 'Caerphilly man filmed himself damaging ancient monument' 30th August 2023) had better details and by far the better picture with the oblique photo of the cup-marked boulder. Julian Baker, 52, from Abertridwr, filmed himself damaging an ancient monument and put the film on Facebook. The buried monument at Eglwysilan Mountain in Caerphilly is two large sandstones with “cup marks” cut into their upper surfaces dating back to the Bronze Age, c. 2,500BC. He has now appeared at Newport Magistrates’ Court where he admitted deliberately exposing and damaging theprehistoric monument. He was ordered to pay £4,400 compensation and given a suspended sentence. Heritage officials said Baker ruined part of the artwork beyond repair and it is now "lost forever". 

 

Baker, who lives near the site, filmed himself excavating the monument and separated the rock art panel from its stone. The charges state Baker "executed unauthorised work affecting a scheduled monument" in January of this year. It added that he "executed works, namely disturbed the ground exposing an ancient monument." The second charge said Baker acted to "destroy or damage an ancient protected monument," on the same date. It said: "Without lawful excuse destroyed or damaged a protected monument, namely rockart panel knowing that it was a protected monument and intending to destroy or damage the monument or being reckless as to whether the monument would be destroyed or damaged."

It is difficult to know what he was up to. One can only assume that the mention that he "separated the rock art panel from its stone" implis that he was trying to reduce its weight so he could transport it awy for collection or sale. Recently there was a sale of a piece of rockart by a British auction house that may have given him the idea.

Hat tip Dave Coward