Rock Art in Africa

Map of North Africa

And in the Namib Desert of southern Africa. Engravings and paintings on rock surfaces found in the Tassili Plateau, Algeria And in the Namib Desert of southern Africa. Well over 30, 000 sites have been discovered Rock Art indicates that there has been human habitation in the Sahara from 8000 BP Paintings and Engravings in the Sahara are categorized into 4 periods: 1. Archaic/ Bubalous Period (8000-7000 BP) Characteristics: a) Large scale animals incised and engraved on rock surfaces b) Naturalistic representations of animals: elephants, buffalo, hippopotamuses, giraffe, antelopes c) many of the animals are now extinct 2. Pastoral Period (6000-2200 BP) Characteristics: a) smaller scale paintings done with red and white pigments b) Depictions of cattle with humans c) Fairly accurate details in terms of proportions, colors etc d) Depiction of humans engaged in different activities including sports and warfare

further sub divided into: Horse and Chariot sub-period 3. Horse Period: 3200-1200 BP further sub divided into: Horse and Chariot sub-period Characteristics: human figures become bi-triangular Head size shrinks Small weapons and horse drawn chariots appear 4. Camel Period: 2700 BP Characteristics: Quite possibly the most recent period of rock art painted by the present inhabitants of the Sahara Horses are depicted with Arabic fittings Human figures are very small and depictions of camels are common

Elephant, Rock Engraving, Bubalus/Cattle Period

Super imposition, Elephant and Giraffes, Engraving, Fezan Region, Libya After 8000 BC Appr. 10, 000 BP

Niola Doa (Beautiful Ladies) Chad Republic Pastoral Period Rock engraving, (note the vertical grooves supposedly created in recent times, by women to increase their fertility)

Mother and child scene, Rock painting, Tassili N’Ajer, southern Algeria Pastoralist Period 7000-4000 BP

Hairdressing in the Akakus Mountains, Libya Hairdressing in the Akakus Mountains, Libya. The scene reflects the recent lifestyle of modern Fulani peoples who dress their hair in similar manner and may link the Paintings to their ancestors. Pigment on rock, 6000 BP

Two lovers holding hands super imposed on faint but visible images of animals in White pigment, Western Chad Republic

Cattle Rock painting, Cattle Period, Tassili, Southern Algeria, (10,000-8,000 BP)

Figure with mask like head, Rock Painting, Tassili, Southern Algeria (10,000-8000 BP)

Faceless figure, Painting, Tassili, Archaic Period

Stylized figures with cattle And horse drawn chariot

Horse-drawn chariot, Painting, Chariot sub period, Tassili, Algeria

Two horse chariot and a man in skirt, southern Algeria Though the horses are depicted in profile, the chariot is seen from an Angle where the wheels are seen in perspective

An engraving in the north wall of the Temple of Karnak, at Luxor, Egypt This chariot closely resembles paintings and engravings of horse drawn chariot in the Sahara

Herdsman with cattle Painting, Cattle/Pastoralist Period,

Camel, Painting, Late/Camel Period, Tassili, Algeria

Map of southern Africa

Panoramic view of the Drakensberg mountains

The oldest painting dates to 28, 000 BP Engravings and paintings are widely distributed throughout southern Africa The oldest painting dates to 28, 000 BP They were created by the San peoples The paintings depict healing ceremonies, visions, and realistic and abstract depictions of animals Characteristics: under water scenes of water buffalo, humans and snakes Visions of shaman or healers Healers in altered states of consciousness Healing rituals still being performed today by the San Peoples

Art mobile—art mobilier, Rock painting, San Peoples, (28,000 BP)

White lady of Brandberg, Namibia, Southern Africa

White Lady of Brandberg, Dark skin male figure covered with White paint or ostrich egg/pigments, San Painting, Polychrome Namibia

Abstracted figures, San peoples Polychrome Tanzania

Zebra, San Peoples, Polychrome, Zimbabwe

Antelopes, San Painting, Polychrome, South Africa

Battle scene with the British San Painting Polychrome South Africa

Animal scene--Lion, Giraffe, horses, polychrome, South Africa

Eland and Wildebeest Rock Engravings San Peoples, Northern Cape, South Africa

San religious ceremony, Polychrome, South Africa

Dancing Figures, San Peoples, polychrome, Drakensberg Mountains,South Africa

Drawing after a painting depicting a ritual ceremony ---note the depiction/presence of phospheme

San healing ritual ceremony, early 20th century

“Recent” San trance ritual ceremony

San healing ritual ceremony

Therianthrope San Peoples

Shaman’s X-ray vision, rock painting, south African

Therianthrope and Eland, San Peoples, Polychrome, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Shaman in Trance, San Painting, Polychrome, Makoni, Zimbabwe

A family of Rhinos, San peoples, Polychrome Botswana, Southern Africa