Page 13 - IAV Digital Magazine #618

Fury As Yob Spray Paints Giant Penis Onto Ancient UNESCO Site
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
By Eleanor Burleigh, Maria Ortega, Foreign Content Specialist
The vandalism of an ancient archaeologi- cal site in Peru with obscene graffiti has sparked accusations of a "serious lack of respect" towards the country's cultural her- itage. A young man appears to have been caught on video
spray-painting a giant penis on the walls of Chan Chan, a pre- Columbian archaeo- logical site that dates back over 600 years. The viral clip has caused outrage among Peruvian offi- cials, who con- demned the incident as "a violation of the norms that
protect archeologi- cal heritage".
Despite the strong backlash, the offend- er has yet to be iden- tified - though the person guilty of the vandalism could face up to six years
in prison if and when is caught, the maxi- mum sentence for attacks on culturally significant monu- ments. "This act con- stitutes a serious lack
of respect towards our historical and cul- tural heritage and represents a violation of the norms that pro- tect archeological heritage," the Peruvian Ministry for Culture said in response to the van- dalism.
Chan Chan was the capital city of the Chimu kingdom
before it was taken over by the Incas in the 15th century. Alongside the stone citadels of Machu Picchu and Caral, it is considered one of the country's most impor- tant archaeological artefacts.
The vandalism was reported to have taken place on Monday, May 12, at the walled complex which is a registered UNESCO World Heritage Site and sits on the outskirts of Truijillo - a city around 500km away from Peru's coastal capital, Lima.
Chan Chan's name translates to "resplen- dent sun" in the native language, and was recognised by UNESCO in 1968, the same year it was added to the list of endangered heritage sites.
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine