Twyfelfontein is not a town, but the name of a
place. There are no fuel facilities or shops. It's quite remote, so be sure
to be well supplied before setting off on your journey there. On route to
the site you will pass by some impressive rock
formations that are of the Damara Granites - some 560 million years
old. After you cross the Aba-Huab River you will notice the shape and
color of the mountains change to having flat tops and deep red
color. These rocks are of a much younger age being about 180 million years
old, from a time when
this area was covered with layers of sand and sediments to a great
depth. The later dry period brought desert conditions. The red
cliffs are petrified sand. Ongoing erosion over the millions of
years has caused great blocks to break away from the main body of
rock and tumble down the face. Many of these
fractured along the natural fissures revealing an almost perfectly
flat surface that provided an ideal working surface for the busmen
artist that once made this their dwelling place.
It is on the sandstone rocks behind this abandoned
farm house where the Twyfelfontein etchings and paintings can be seen. Reinhardt Maack, The discoverer of the White Lady Of Brandberg painting, visited
this area in 1921 and reported having seen Rock Engravings, but the
discovery is accredited to Mr. D. Levin who purchased this area for
farming in 1947. Levin also re-discovered the natural water spring
that he named the Twyfelfontein (Afrikaans) meaning 'doubtful spring'.
The farm was abandoned in the 1967. The spring and Levin's water pump
can still be seen.
The archeological digs have
uncovered a variety of stone tools etc and plenty of Dassie (rock
hyrax) bones. The Bushmen who once lived in this cave on the rock
shelf had an excellent panoramic view over the valley. They would
have spotted game and any potential visitors afar.
