Item NASMUS-RSA-VAH1-1.jpg - NASMUS RSA VAH1 1

Brief description of site: RSA VAH1 is small west-south-west facing rock shelter located on high on the eastern side of a small kloof. There is a substantial stone wall built in front of the shelter, which is 8 m long, up to 1.7 m high and up to 2.4 m deep with a sloping floor and deeper, lower inner section. Vegetation around the shelter is dense.

The floor of the cave is a fine damp dust. The floor also slopes and water runs through the site south-north, leaching the soil and carrying away the deposit. There were no visible artefacts within the site apart from a substantial metal hoop and trap, though on the scree slope below a few hornfels (indurated shale) and crypto-crstalline silicate (agate) Later Stone Age stone tools were observed as well as abundant remains of bone. The site looks out over the old outspan with pear and apricot trees and bloubos planted in a hedge. The kloof' stream's sweet water may account for the popularity of this spot over time. At the head of the kloof, there are extensive stone walls in both rectangular and circular forms, for stock and for people.
Brief description of art: There are at least 50 visible but faded and vandalised Bushman rock paintings in black, red, orange and white paint on the walls of the site. There are at least two painted episodes apparent. The oldest episode consists of now very faded red human figures, eland and other antelope. Many of these paintings probably had white too, which has now faded. The second and more recent painted episode consists of paintings in white and black of domestic cattle, anvil-shaped Sotho shields and human figures. At the site's northern end is the rare black rhino rock painting associated with two human figures, a Sotho shield and on top of a much larger, fat and amorphous animal painted in white paint.