Trump’s border wall construction threatens rock art as old as the pyramids: ‘The ancestors are still here’
Summary
Construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall in west Texas threatens ancient rock art and murals that are thousands of years old. The project, funded by $46.5 billion for border expansion, plans to build fences and roads through protected lands and historic sites, causing concern among archaeologists, Indigenous communities, and local residents.Key Facts
- The rock art murals in west Texas are estimated to be around 4,000 years old and were created by Indigenous hunter-gatherers.
- The murals are located near the Pecos River and Rio Grande, including in Seminole Canyon State Park and near Big Bend National Park.
- The Trump administration secured $46.5 billion for border wall construction, focusing on the last major unwalled stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border in west Texas.
- Customs and Border Protection plans to build a "smart wall" consisting of steel fencing, vehicle barriers, and surveillance technology.
- Construction threatens to damage or destroy valuable archaeological and cultural sites, including 27 murals in Seminole Canyon.
- Local residents, business leaders, and politicians from both parties largely oppose the project due to its impact on the environment and heritage.
- Work was temporarily halted in Big Bend National Park after activists shared videos of bulldozers disturbing protected land.
- Archaeologists like Carolyn Boyd aim to protect and eventually help interpret these ancient murals with the help of Indigenous communities.
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