Spain investigates man who poured water on ancient cave paintings for a better photo

Authorities in Spain say they're investigating the case of a man who vandalized ancient cave paintings mountain range to get a better photo for social media.

The country's Guardia Civil said a 39-year-old man from Los Villares in southern Spain's Andalusia region poured water on the paintings to capture a clearer image for a Facebook post, according to CNN and The Daily Beast . The paintings are located in the Sierra Sur de Jaén mountain range.

The investigation into whether the man committed a crime against historical heritage began in May, when officials noticed the photos online, CNN reported.

The rock illustrations, legally protected by a heritage register, date back centuries with some estimated to be more than 6,000 years old, The Daily Beast reported.

The water spilled on the limestone walls can cause "irreparable damage" when a crust forms from the salts dissolving and rising to the surface when the liquid evaporates, according to the Guardia Civil.

Ancient cave art vandalism in recent years

Ancient cave art is no stranger to vandalism as Jaén has found itself vulnerable to similar incidents in recent years, according to Spain outlet El País . In 2022, a massive Spanish flag was spray-painted over a cave painting at a nearby site, Gizmodo reported.

In southern Australia, a painting dating back 22,000 years was vandalized with spray paint in the Koonalda Cave that same year. The act of graffiti was particularly devastating for the country's indigenous Mirning community as the painting served as a significant part of their culture.

Over in the U.S. in 2021, vandals damaged thousand-year-old Native American rock carvings in Georgia's Chattahoochee National Forest, the U.S. Forest Service announced.

More than 100 rock carvings, or petroglyphs, in the forest's Track Rock Gap were created by Creek and Cherokee people dating over 1,000 years ago. Damage included scratching or painting over the petroglyphs.

Contributing: Christine Fernando

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Spain investigates man who poured water on ancient cave paintings for a better photo