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Site and People records
Finger painted
Banda II
Site
Brief description of site: The site is on a boulder sitting amongst smaller rocks at the northeast corner of Banda hill. It leans to the east providing protection to a small platform area. The base of the boulder is hidden by thick vegetation making it well secluded. The site is shaded and provides some shelter. The images are on a slanting surface underneath the leaning section of the boulder.
Brief description of art: The rain washes over a large section of the rock and has caused the partial destruction of some of the images. The images include: 3 large daubed spread-eagled motifs in white, 2 of which are partially destroyed. There is also a smudged area of red pigment.
Banda III
Site
Brief description of site: Half way up a steep lower slope on the east side of Banda hill. A large boulder overhangs to the northeast providing protection to a small platform area on the hillside. Pictographs survive on the protected areas of this face as well as on the vertical front of a rock that blocks the west end of the site. There is not enough shelter to allow habitation but the site is pleasantly shaded.
Brief description of art: Degree of protection varied, most areas are relatively well protected. The left section almost certainly had more pictographs that have now been destroyed. Numerous pictographs, most linear or curvilinear in form. Shapes include: many sets of vertical parallel lines, 1 enclosed grid, 1 concentric circle, 3 concentric half-circles open at top, 2 circles with internal vertical divisions and another with horizontal divisions, a vertical sausage shape with multiple horizontal divisions, various short filled and outline horizontal bars with three vertical lines leading off downwards. All these motifs applied by finger using similar shades of red, 2 have white lines in between the red. There is also a single zoomorphic charcoal outline design (nyau - kasiyamaliro). Little suggestion of a sequence, though details in method suggest many artists, the charcoal motif appears to be very recent.
Banda IV
Site
Brief description of site: A boulder sitting in a plateau area high on Banda hill just below the central rock mass that forms the peak. The boulder overhangs to the east providing a small shaded shelter but little real protection. Quite an arduous walk up from valley floor, reasonably impressive views.
Brief description of art: Pictographs quite faint and dust covered. Reasonably well protected from rain but have been disturbed by a combination of termites, bird nests and human activity in the shelter. Name scrawling in black charcoal covers part of the panel. Motifs include: 5 concentric circles and a more complex circle and line design, applied by finger in red, filled with white. All but one of the concentric circles has six red circles. Also a few sets of parallel vertical lines and a short horizontal sausage shape with internal vertical divisions, applied by finger in red.
Banda VI
Site
Brief description of site: A locally famous cave known as Panga La Kachindamoto. It is said to be the site where the Ngoni chief of that name sheltered during his flight from the Yao. It is a very large cave facing northwest, well sheltered from rain though something of a wind funnel. It is extremely well hidden and of arduous access. Could have provided sheltered habitation for a relatively large group.
Brief description of art: There is just one small area of pictographs and a fair amount of modern scratched or scrawled graffiti. The lack of pictographs in such a well-protected site is surprising. It is possible that fires in the cave have destroyed many. However, there is little to indicate that there were ever more pictographs than at present. Factors such as the roughness of the rock and the arduous access may have been of influence. There are 4 motifs: a half circle open at the top with internal vertical divisions, a vertical line with an upturned V shape at its base and vertical line, all applied by finger in red. 4th motif is spread-eagled, applied by daubing in white; it overlies two of the red designs.
Banda VIII
Site
Brief description of site: A low recessed shelter immediately south and below DE7. Ceiling low but floor excellently sheltered and shaded. Could have provided protection for 3-4 persons. Shelter entrance is well concealed making site hard to find.
Brief description of art: Pictographs executed on sloping ceiling. Surface quite dark and rough. Motifs include many swirling somewhat snake-like lines and two small spread-eagled designs. All daubed in white, well protected and well preserved.
Bath I 363
Site
Brief description of art: Finger dots.