The history and prehistory of Southern Africa is essentially a tale of the adventures, symbiosis, and struggles of a nomadic hunter-gatherer people we refer to as the San. For thousands of years, before a single tribe had arrived from Europe or Central Africa, the San spent their time among the animals during the day and among the stars at night, with traditions, customs, and practices that form the oldest known culture in the world.
Thousands of rock art paintings capture the remnants of their heyday as stewards of these beautiful lands. African Sky can customize tours led by knowledgeable guides to all the destinations listed and also offers a pre-designed ten-day tour focused on rock art in South Africa.
Mapungubwe
One of the earliest documented empires in this part of the world came to Mapungubwe around 1000 AD. Rock art in the area predates this period and ends abruptly as the rise of the people of Mapungubwe comes. Therefore, the sites found here are quite significant and may indicate the last remnants of the San living in this part of South Africa. Mapungubwe is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the rock art here is one of many artifacts in an area rich in cultural history. Our 11-day African Safari and Culture tour spends two nights near Mapungubwe before entering northern Kruger at Punda Maria.
Twyfelfontein
Twyfelfontein in Namibia is an exceptional rock art site and one of the oldest recorded, dating back over 6,000 years. The site, perhaps better described as a prehistoric gallery, is full of rock art of various kinds, with over 2500 discernible figures pictured on boulders in this arid part of Namibia. Ongoing archaeological and anthropological studies draw on the site here at Twyfelfontein.
Tsodilo Hills
The Tsodilo Hills in Botswana, described as the “Louvre of the Desert” and home to more than 4,500 paintings in about 10 km², is another World Heritage Site with extraordinary historical and cultural significance to the San. The site is a spectacular rocky hill in the middle of an otherwise flat and arid landscape that has been used for rituals and worship by the San for millennia. In The Lost World of the Kalahari, Laurens van der Post made particular reference to their encounter here and the early feeling the hills conjured up as the desert winds echoed through the passages and chambers during their stay there.
Mwela Rock Paintings
In Zambia, the Mwela Rock Paintings site is a series of painted cave walls dating back to the Stone Age, which locals attribute to the Batwa, the local name for the San. The art here is very compact, with scene after scene painted one after the other, sharing themes and motifs with the art found in South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.
Matobo Hills
Matobo Hills in Zimbabwe, a distinct rocky landscape, is located hundreds of miles from Tsodilo Hills in Botswana. The art here is well preserved, and UNESCO dates the paintings back at least 13,000 years, in hills people have occupied for at least half a million years. The site is also close to the burial place of the British industrialist Cecil John Rhodes and makes for a great trip to this far-flung part of Zimbabwe.
Cederberg
Aside from being astonishing for the biodiversity of plants found here and the beauty of its flowering landscapes, the Cederberg mountains are steeped in the prehistory of the San. The Khoi, pastoralists related to the San, also lived in this part of what is now the Western Cape. The rock art sites at Stadsaal, Truitjieskraal, Southern Arch, and Varkkloof are noteworthy. On the way from Cape Town, the !Khwa ttu San Heritage Centre near Yzerfontein, about 70 km north of the city on the R27, is worth a stop for those exploring Khoisan culture in greater depth.
Drakensberg
Like the Cederberg, the Drakensberg is awash with rock art sites of varying scope and condition in South Africa and Lesotho. Game Pass Shelter and the Kamberg Rock Art Centre are two noteworthy sites, though interested travelers should still explore several scenic hiking trails, which lead to less visited rock art sites.
Brandberg Mountain
Brandberg is not only the highest mountain massif in Namibia but is also revered for the famous White Lady painting created by bushmen at least two thousand years ago. The Tsisab Ravine alone holds more than 45,000 rock paintings made by ancient inhabitants, here in the Damaraland region, home to other important and well-preserved rock art sites.
