Ancient petroglyphs, some believed to be up to 7,000 years old, have been vandalized on federal land in the Eastern Sierra Nevada, officials reported.

The petroglyphs, called “one of the most awe-inspiring and intriguing things to see” by Eastern Sierra, are located in the Volcanic Tableland near Bishop, about 80 miles east of Fresno.

Vandals damaged three locations in the site, the federal Bureau of Land Management, which oversees the Volcanic Tableland, said in a Friday news release.

A photo with the release shows a section of rock once containing ancient petroglyphs has been carved away and removed.

“Those responsible have destroyed an irreplaceable part of our national cultural heritage,” Bishop Field Manager Sherri Lisius of the agency said in a statement.

The tableland was formed by volcanic eruptions about 700,000 years ago, according to the Bishop Chamber of Commerce and Information Center. The petroglyphs were carved about 7,000 years ago by the Paiute-Shoshone tribe, the site said.

“The art is widely varied — anthropomorphic figures can be made out, as can clear images of bighorn sheep,” Eastern Sierra said. “At one site, there is a bas-relief carving of a miner swinging a pick-axe, the origin of which is unknown.”

The agency asks anyone with information to call 1-800-782-7463.