Showing 77 results

Site and People records
Dedza Chewa
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 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.
Bunda I
Site
Brief description of site: A large recessed shelter on the lower slopes of Bunda hill east side. Very well protected and large enough to make a good habitation site for a family group (floor area over 30m²). Extensive soot deposits on ceiling suggest that it has been regularly used. Depending on vegetation may have had a fair view into stream valley and beyond.
Brief description of art: Many traces of white pictographs on ceiling all severely blackened by soot. Include: various spread-eagled motifs, a meandering snake-like line, a few dots, a circle with a single internal vertical division, and a small human-like design that looks like a depiction of a baby. All daubed in white. At entrance to shelter is an area of massed dots applied by finger in red.
Bunda II
Site
Brief description of site: An overhanging rock on the lower slopes of Bunda hill east side. At the base of this there is a low cave inset with a ceiling only about 1.5m high. The cave could have provided a sheltered sleeping or storage place but would be too cramped for habitation. Pleasantly shaded site, not much of a view.
Brief description of art: 2 well preserved white daubed spread-eagled motifs positioned just above the entrance to the low cave. Both have had black 'feet' added sometime after their original creation. On a protected surface a few metres to the north are some traces of red pigment but with no apparent form.
Bunda VI
Site
Brief description of site: The shelter is formed by two large boulders, which lean into one another. It is positioned halfway up the slope on the eastern side of Bunda Hill. The site has good shade and shelter provided is large enough to have been suitable for habitation. The pottery scatter on floor and soot on rocks suggests that the shelter has been used. It is quite well secluded and looks into trees.
Brief description of art: The art consists of 2 large spread-eagled designs on vertical wall of shelter, daubed in white and decorated with finger width black dots. There are also a few vertical lines and a circle with externally radiating lines from base only. On a separate surface applied by finger in red. All the images are well preserved.
Chentcherere I
Site
Brief description of site: A large rock shelter with around 50m2 of protected floor. Facing west, low on the
southern slope of Mwana Wa Chencherere hill. Excavated in 1972 by J.D. Clark. Excellent
protection from rain though somewhat exposed to wind. A natural habitation site,
demonstrated as having been used as such by excavation.
Brief description of art: The back wall of the shelter is smothered in pictographs. Most areas are well
protected and relatively well preserved. A few areas are flaking due to water seepage,
towards the left end washing has removed an area of pictographs. The degree of protection
suggests that pictographs of considerable antiquity could survive here. The shelter is much
visited due to its notoriety, as a consequence all pictographs within reach have been blurred
by touching and rubbing. Too many pictographs to describe individually, see sketch. The
majority of pictographs are large daubed spread-eagled motifs applied in white. The size
and detailed shape of each spread-eagled motif varies. Also in daubed white are a few
snake-like meanders and a few simple geometric designs and dots. Earlier red designs
applied by finger can be made out underneath the white motifs in some places. These are
mainly circles and sets of parallel lines. Variations in shape, pigment and state of
preservation give the impression that the pictographs have built up over a considerable
period, painted by many different artists.
Chentcherere II
Site
Brief description of site: The site faces NW and looks into the forest now which was originally Chongoni Range. The site has a good view. The site is small but pleasant for shade as well as habitation, and is less obvious that MAL-CHN1.
Brief description of art: The main panel is poorly preserved, and the top section is very well preserved. It consists of an animal with a thin outline with dots over it. Two animals that are just visible. The central panel had many white but now almost invisible.
Chentcherere III
Site
Brief description of site: A boulder at the base of Mwana Wa Chencherere with a recess in its southern side. Recess deep enough to provide shade and protection but, with the two larger recessed shelters nearby, this seems unlikely to have been used for habitation. Looking into trees.
Brief description of art: Pictographs on back ledge of recess. Rock surface has been extensively graffitied during recent times with names and scribblings in charcoal. There are also a few outline zoomorphic designs in similar charcoal (nyau - kasiyamaliro). Now very faint having been damaged by extensive graffiti and fire, there are traces of a set of concentric circles and parallel lines, applied by finger in red.
Chentcherere IV
Site
Brief description of site: A boulder near the base of Mwana Wa Chencherere on its southern side behind
DE23. Boulder leans to the south providing a small sheltered area and a good protected
surface. Site not suited to habitation. Looking into DE23 and trees.
Brief description of art: A few spread-eagled designs, a snake-like meander and a set of parallel lines
applied by daubing in white. Also a row of circles applied by finger in red filled with white
(now faint) and other faint red traces. Some white designs over red stains, suggestive that
white is more recent. White motifs vary in style and standard of preservation. Suggestive of
execution by various artists over a long period oftime.