Rock paintings in Southern Africa

IMAGES: http://www.getty.edu/conservation/our_projects/field_projects/sarap/sarap_images.html

In 1969, six painted rock fragments were found in Namibia. Named after the Apollo 11 space expedition to the moon of the same year, they are one of the oldest examples of rock painting in Africa and in the world.

THINGS to THINK ABOUT: How do we SEE the subjects of Prehistoric art? From the front? Or from the side?

Why did they paint IN PROFILE?

The aim of the earliest painters was to create a convincing image of the subject, a kind of pictorial definition of the animal, capturing its very essence, and only the profile view met their needs. all-history.org

The White Lady of Brandberg

Found in 1917 by Reinhardt Maack, who was preparing a map of the Brandberg mountain in Namibia.

Source: Images of Power Lewis-Williams and Dowson. Copy by H.Pager

The San Bushmen people

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c246fZ7z1w

Question: What sound is their language based on? Take notes while you listen, writing down keywords.

A modern-day San healer, or shaman

The White Lady of Brandberg: rock painting, Namibia, discovered in 1917 by Reinhardt Maack. It got its name from French archaeologist Abbot Henri Breuil and, contrary to what was originally believed, it shows a man (not a woman) who is a shaman painted in white.

http://www.ezakwantu.com/Gallery%20Brandberg%20-%20The%20White%20Lady%20-%20Namibia.htm

The paintings in Brandberg are believed to be between 2000 and 4000 years old (Bronze Age) and are attributed to the San Bushmen people.

Sources and extra information: Gardner s Art through the Ages Images of Power by Lewis-Williams and Dowson http://all-history.org/2-3.html http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/past_exhibitions/2013/ice_age_art.aspx

http://www.getty.edu/conservation/our_projects/field_projects/sarap/
http://www.essential-humanities.net http://www.namibiatourism.org/place/brandberg http://www.ezakwantu.com http://www.southafrica.info/travel/cultural/sterkfontein.htm#.UjWYDhaCJ5k