Vandals Damage Peru's 12-Cornered Inca Stone

Vandals Damage Peru's 12-Cornered Inca Stone

LIMA, Peru (Reuters) - Vandals have damaged Peru's famous 12-cornered Inca stone in the Andean tourist city of Cusco by scarring it with a sharp metal object, the National Institute of Culture said on Friday.

The stone, which is both a national symbol and one of Cusco's best-known tourist sites, was damaged on Thursday night with either a nail, a screwdriver or a chisel, the INC said.

"The stone has a scar which is 15 centimeters (6 inches) long and 4 centimeters (1.6 inches) wide," INC spokesman Ramiro Canal told Reuters, adding that the stone was also now marked with seven small holes.

The INC said the stone could not be repaired because officials could not find the shards the vandals chopped off.

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=570&ncid=753&e=1&u=/nm/20040430/sc_nm/arts_peru_stone_dc

to say the least.
Scott