Item NASMUS-RSA-NWK1-3.jpg - NASMUS RSA NWK1 3

Brief description of site: The site is not at all an obvious one and takes the form of a less than 1.5 m high, up to 2.5 m deep and 11 m long rock shelter located on the northern bank of a small watercourse 2 km south-east of the farmhouse on the dirt track. The shelter lies on the 1720 m contour and has a dusty and dry dirt floor with some seepage in the eastern end. A large block that was once part of the ceiling has collapsed. There is an inner, cave-like space in the shelter. Bush in front of the shelter obscures it from view.

Because relatively few people have been to this site, the archaeology is still in good condition. Present as a surface scatter within the shelter are some hornfels (also known as indurated shale or lydianite) lithics (stone tools), areas where people have ground plant food and a rare example of rough Khoe (Khoi) decorated pottery. There is also some bone; probably of a recent date. The stone tools are mostly flake tools with no formal tools located.
Brief description of art: There are over 300 individual rock paintings spread across most of the shelter's low ceiling and across its low back wall. These rock-paintings fall into a distinct rock-art tradition - that of the Khoe (Khoi) herders who moved into southern Africa approximately 1 900 - 2 100 years ago. Note that these are NOT San or 'Bushman' rock-paintings.

Khoe (Khoi) rock-paintings: These are distinct from the San rock-paintings - which were made with a brush and which are representational. Khoe rock-paintings are the red, orange, white and black finger-painted geometric motifs. There are fingerdots, finger lines, geometric grid and 'sunburst'-like images. There is also an unusual white circular image with red dots inside - looks like an egg - which is encountered here for the first time. Interestingly, there are 8 rare, roughly painted animal and human figures. The animals are eland-like and the human figures hold sticks. This representational element among the Khoe art may be explained as the result of adopting certain San or 'Bushman' rock-painting traditions. The Khoe had good relations with the San and there was a good degree of intermarriage and cultural transmission. Though new to science, this new rock-art tradition promises much and RSA NWK1 will be a key site in this new research.