ETCHED into the sandstone of "Newspaper Rock" in Gold Butte, Nevada-an area of vividly coloured desert punctuated by Joshua trees and sublime rock forma-tions-are more than 650 depictions of tortoises, feet and cradleboards chiselled by native Americans as long as 2,000 years ago. On December 28th, Barack Obama designated Gold Butte as a national monument, using the Antiquities Act of 1906. The same day he also granted the same status to Bears Ears in south-eastern Utah. During his eight years as president, Mr Obama has designated 553m acres as national monuments—more than twice as much as any other president.
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