“Southern Africa probably has the richest legacy of Rock Art in the world. The Western Cape, particularly the mountainous regions from the Koue Bokkeveld, through the Cederberg to the Agter Pakhuis, may have more rock painting per square kilometre than anywhere else in Southern Africa" according to Peter Slingsby 1998.
Southern African rock art has been dated to be as old as 28 000 years, with the age of the Cederberg paintings ranging from 8 000 years to 100 or 200 years. The paintings most commonly depict animal scenes, and it is thought that particular animals such as eland, have important symbolic religious meanings. Paintings were made by the San as part of their religion and can thus not be interpreted literally.
Humans are also commonly depicted, often in procession, hunting or out gathering food. Other types of paintings show therianthropes (half-animal half-human figures) and entoptic shapes, probably of important religious meaning.
Rock art sites in the Cederberg Conservancy open to the public are Stadsaal, Truitjieskraal, Southern Arch and Varkkloof.
Further reading
- Cederberg Rock Paintings – Follow the San by John Parkington, Krakadouw Trust, 2003 ISBN 0-620-31113-4
- Some views on Rock paintings in the Cederberg by Janette Deacon, National Monuments Council, 1994 ISBN 1-875012-25-7
