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Site and People records
Dedza Brush painted
Bunda IV
Site
Brief description of site: The site is a large slightly overhung rock-face at the back of a flat platform halfway up the east side of Bunda Hill. The rock-face provides pleasant midday and afternoon shade but little real shelter. The platform has impressive views to the east.
Brief description of art: The painted frieze is considerable in size (over 10m in length). Much of the rock is poorly protected from washing and many areas of painting are consequently now faint. The motifs are predominantly linear, but there is a fair amount of variety. The pictographs are too numerous to describe individually. There are two main pigments used: red and white. One motif is in monochrome white, the rest in red. A number of red motifs are overlain with massed fine white dots or lines. These motifs are found in the most protected areas. Perhaps more were originally treated in this manner but the white is now washed off. This site is unusual in having some large filled red motifs; such designs are more characteristically executed in white. There is notable variation in details of method. The white motif overlies a number of red designs. Many red designs partially cover other red figures. The suggestion is of considerable variation in the age of the pictographs and of work by many different artists.
Bunda VII
Site
Brief description of site: An overhung rock-face towards the southern end of the east side of Bunda Hill. The ground drops away sharply in front of the rock-face, only a small area of flat ground exists against the wall and this is scattered with low boulders. The shelter provided can thus not be exploited for much more than shaded seating. The view east from the site is impressive.
Brief description of art: The main area of pictographs is well protected and preserved. There may originally have been more motifs, now washed off, to the left and right though there is little to indicate this. The oldest design at the site is a fine line animal depiction executed using violet pigment. This is overlain by various sets of lines and joined lines, applied by finger in red. Surrounding these, and probably therefore later, are a few sets of parallel finger width lines made in white.
Mlunduni V
Site
Brief description of site: A large squat boulder near the base of Mlunduni mountain west side. Overhang provides protection on south and west sides. Stream flows under western end of boulder. Could have been used as habitation but rather narrow and sloping floor. View into wet area below and over plain to west. Easily accessible.
Brief description of art: Various pairs of vertical lines, a circle within a circle, various curving and joined lines and a few thick filled oblong shapes. All applied by finger in red. Also a set of parallel lines, a curving line and an area of dots all finely applied by brush.