Twyfelfontein
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Twyfelfontein 2 - The Bushman Rock Engravings
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Twyfelfontein
A National Heritage Site |
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Twyfelfontein is home to the single largest collection
of Bushman rock engravings on the African continent. There are more than
2,500 pictograms on over 200 sandstone blocks. There is a natural
rock shelf that runs along the cliff face about 50 metres from
ground level. The shelf floor is littered with erosion debris in the
form of large sandstone blocks. The sandstone at Twyfelfontein
contains high Felspar content that is rich in iron, which when exposed
to air the surface oxidizes and forma hard red crust. The ancient
bushman artists would cut through this layer with tools made from
harder rock, Granites and quartz, exposing the underlying rock that
is of a yellow shade. Over time the engraved patterns also oxidized
giving the artwork a sealed covering.
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Giraffe and footprints |
Elephant with antelope |
Seal and penguin |
Domestic cattle |
Kudu |
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The ancient artists have left us with a somewhat
kaleidoscopic view into their world. We see the variety and abundance of the
animals that they lived amongst and hunted.
The engravings include Antelope, Eland, Elephant, Kudu, Giraffe, Lion, Oryx,
Ostrich, Penguin, Seal and Zebra along with depictions of animal spoors
(tracks). The above centre is of a seal and a penguin which
'tells' us that the Bushmen would journey to the coast where they would hunt
the seals for the meat, pelts and fats to produce seal oil. Some of the
tablets show human hand or footprints which could be could be the signatures
of some of the artists, but rarely do we see a complete human form.The
strange glyphs have not yet been interpreted, and could well be just some
form of artistic expression by one or more of the artists.
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The Lion-Man |
The Dancing-Kudu |
Glyphs |
Antelope with glyphs |
Cracked Rhinoceros |
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Beliefs and Rituals: As with
most ancient peoples their interrelationship with their environment played an
important part in the group's belief system and culture. The sweet water
spring was of great significance to the comfort and well-being of the
dwellers at the 'Twyfelfontein', and the site would have held a
considerable amount of religious potency. There is even a remaining
rock-segment of map of the area with directions of water springs and
holes clearly marked. As with the
Bushmen of the Brandberg the dwellers at Twyfelfontein believed that
certain animals possessed mystical powers. The giraffe, being the
tallest was thought to be able to reach into the heavens and help to
bring the rains. Other hoofed animals e.g. the Eland, Kudu, Oryx, Springbok
and Wildebeest were also revered for they had powers to find and even
dig for water. The felines - Lion, Leopard and Cheetah were thought to
have the powers of dispelling evil and also healing sickness. The
Desert Elephant could find water, survive for 3 days without drinking
and was capable of traveling up to 70kms in one day, and the
Rhinoceros with its' horn were also 'rain animals'.
The ritual dances performed
by the shamans would last for many hours. The effort required was so
great that it caused profuse sweating and sometimes bleeding from the
nose. A state of frenzy and trance would be entered during which the
shamans would 'take on' the spirit of
the particular animal that was critical to the ritual being performed.
For example an Oryx for rain, or a lion for healing or dispelling evil.
It was believed that while in a state of trance the medicine men could
transfer the sickness from an individual into themselves and then sweat
it out. The Stork was associated with travel and the Shaman would
take upon the spirit of the bird when 'traveling in spirit' to far off
places. The reminder of the group, mainly females would sit around in a
circle chanting and clapping.
The Lion
Man has five toed
feet, with a hand at the end of its tail. The ancient Bushmen believed
that if they killed a Lion they could transfer some of the powers of
the animal's spirit to mingle with their own spirit thus making them
even more braver and fearless hunters. When at the site try to
remember to look for a giraffe that has five protrusions from the
top of its head. This means that they are not two ears along with
two horns, but the hand of a Bushman Shaman. It is thought that in
one particular rain ritual dance the Shaman would take upon the
spirit of a Giraffe, for this was a most revered animal. It was the
tallest animal that G-d made, and it could stretch its neck up into
the heavens to bring down the rains.
The Dancing
Kudu engraving is
representative of a shaman who, in a state of ritual trance,
has taken on the spirit of the animal.
It was
about 1,000 years ago that the Bushman hunter gatherer communities in this
part of Namibia began to acquire goats, sheep and then cattle and adopted a
nomadic pastoral lifestyle. The engraving depicting Domestic cattel is thought to be
about 800 years old and one of the youngest at the site. Note the
large curved horns of the cattle are those seen in central and east
Africa.
The Rhinoceros was also
connected with the rains. The above right image has its horn reaching up
into the heavens to open the clouds. It is possible that temperature
weathering contributed to the cracking of this work panel. It is an ongoing natural process. We are
fortunate to live in a time when we can still enjoy these art works in
their natural surroundings.
Acknowledgements and further reading: GV1, GV4, H12, R6, R7, P1,
W12
Twyfelfontein Site◄
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Twyfelfontein Paintings
The site is operated under the supervision of the
National Heritage Council of Namibia and trained
local guides will take you around the site also showing you the points
of interest
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Local Area Attractions and Articles
of associated interest
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►
Burnt Mountain
► Petrified Forest ►
Organ Pipes
► Vingerklip ►
Nearby Accommodation
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