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KUNC is among the founding partners of the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration of public media stations that serve the Western states of Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

BLM Posts Secret Location Of 900 Artifacts Online By Mistake

Cedar Mesa Citadel Ruins
Bureau of Land Management
Cedar Mesa Citadel Ruins

Earlier this year, Federal Officials in Utah posted the confidential location and description of about 900 artifacts - by mistake. Reveal News reported the Bureau of Land Management’s error this week. Now archaeologists are worried that these artifacts are now vulnerable to looters.  

Bill Doelle is the President of the non-profit Archaeology Southwest. He said the unlimited reach of the internet is part of what concerns him. He said if something is tucked away in some obscure library, it's not likely for more than one or two people to ever access, "versus something that is literally out there for pretty much universal access."

Doelle said almost all archaeological sites are fragile, and most are sacred to Native Americans. He added that's why there are federal laws in place that keep their location and unique identifiers confidential.

"I see this kind of thing as an invitation to sort of a low-risk, and potentially high-return opportunity to engage in looting," said Doelle.

The BLM has since removed the report, and reposted a version with the sensitive information blacked out. 

This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, Yellowstone Public Radio in Montana, KUER in Salt Lake City and KRCC and KUNC in Colorado.

Copyright 2020 Wyoming Public Radio. To see more, visit .

Maggie Mullen is a fifth generation Wyomingite, born and raised in Casper. She is currently a Masters candidate in American Studies and will defend her thesis on female body hair in contemporary American culture this May. Before graduate school, she earned her BA in English and French from the University of Wyoming. Maggie enjoys writing, cooking, her bicycle, swimming in rivers and lakes, and most any dog.