Did you get any pictures of the carvings? Maybe in the time since, its worth re-evaluating them with a new set of eyes and findings. Usually its about the lichen growth on/around the carvings, right? Was a lichen study done?
As for lichen growth, I couldn't differentiate the growth inside the carvings from that around them, so to 10-year-old me the carvings certainly appeared old.
But as an adult, I'd guesstimate that in that area, only ~100 years of lichen growth is enough for carvings to blend into the surrounding rock.
Edit: I am not sure if an lichen study was conducted.