Item SMT-NAM-TWT9-3.jpg - SMT NAM TWT9 3

Brief description of site: There is another, smaller flat living area immediately south of NAM TWT8. Though less expansive, this area is a very localised landscape with many rock blocs, passage-like spaces and an amazing echo. On the western edge, this area is defined by the most huge upstanding rock blocs at NAM TWT.

The painted Affenblock, which has the single rock painting, was excavated by dr. Eric Wendt, who found sparse cultural remains to a depth of about 300 mm. There are stone tools and ostrich eggshell fragments visible in most places as well as stone alignments that may represent Khoekhoen hut circles.
Brief description of art: This area has a single Bushman rock paintings, over 250 Bushman rock engravings and perhaps 40 Khoekhoen rock engravings. There are numerous findspots, 8 of which are mentioned here.

Upslope giraffe site: High up on the western slope of the valley side is an upright sandstone slab on which there is a very clear giraffe pecked in deep outline and partial infill. Two other partial pecked-infill giraffe are placed to the right of this giraffe as well as a fourth, smaller animal. The visible giraffe may have been re-pecked.

Affenblock: In the centre of the living area is a small rock shelter with an ocular passageway connecting the two lobes of the larger site's living area. In this rock shelter there is a single 400 mm human figure in a standing/walking posture painted in red. 2 m opposite this Bushman rock painting on a vertical shelter wall is a collection of engraved imagery comprising fine pecked-infill broad-horned antelope, 11 ostrich, a feline spoor with claws extended, a human figure, giraffe and 22 cupules arranged in two parallel rows. These cupules are between 26 mm - 35 mm in diameter and between 3.5 mm - 8 mm deep.

East & north of Affenblock: All around the Affenblock, especially to the east, are many engravings that are dominated by ostrich, at least 3 of which have feet shown in a twisted perspective as though they were spoor. There is a lot of spoor imagery; especially antelope and giraffe. Most of the engravings have been depicted in fine pecked-infill, sometimes with a deeper outline. Giraffe also feature prominently, with a particularly good example being found on the back, eastern side of the large rock bloc. On top of this rock bloc there are also giraffe engravings, spoor and zebra. To the north and west of the Affenblock on a 65° sloping sandstone block are some very good giraffe engravings; one of which as a triple wavy line associated with its head. To the left is a very fine engraved and abraded and polished giraffe spoor 115 mm x 70 mm. More spoor, equids, antelope, and wavy lines fill up this rock slab. Closer to the overhang are some zebras in pecked-infill with clear mane hairs.

South of (behind) Affenblock: Beyond the small ocular passageway in the painted rock shelter the imagery is dominated by spoor. Behind the shelter there is a series of over a dozen antelope spoor very careful engraved in fine pecked-infill, about 1.6 m - 2 m above the present surface level. There are three antelope, 1 human and 1 equid spoor here. Turning to the west and south, high up on the back (eastern) side of one of the huge Reisenblock upstanding slabs at least 3 m off the present surface level there 7 pecked-infill human footprints with 5 toes each. These footprint engravings are very big - over 400 mm. There are also 6 antelope spoor, 2 equid spoor and 3 feline pug marks.

Khoekhoen shelter: North and slightly east of the Affenblock is a high and open rock shelter. Facing this shelter is a sloping slab on which antelope, ostrich, giraffe and rhino have been engraved, somewhat roughly. Within the shelter on a lower frieze there are 4 rough pecked-infill rhino and 2 rough pecked-infill equids. Above this frieze on a more-than-vertical ceiling area is a series of joined rough pecked-outline circles, identical to joined finger-painted such 'honeycomb' motifs found in the Khoekhoen finger- painted tradition elsewhere in southern Africa.

Oryx-spoor panels: Both behind the Affenblock between it and the Reisenblock as well as on a large 35° sloping slab downslope and to the north and west of the Reisenblock two almost identical motifs are engraved. In each case, in a light pecked-infill there is engraved an oryx with prominent horns. In both instances, the oryx's feet end in twisted perspective spoor, with the downslope oryx having two cupules on either side of each leg. It seems as if the other oryx also has these cupules, perhaps representing hock marks.

Reisenblock: On the western side of the huge upstanding rock blocs (the largest at Twyfelfontein) with passageways known as the 'Reisenblock' there is a large vertical engraved panel in two parts separated by a large, probably collapsed, rock slab. The smaller, left hand side panel is 'protected' by a small engraved panel on the ground on which are engraved in fairly coarse pecked-infill 4 ostrich, one of which has feet that end in twisted perspective spoor, some disembodied pecked-infill animal heads, a circular motif and lines. The left hand panel has engraved on in a very fine pecked-outline, pecked-infill and partial pecked-infill the so-called 'sitting giraffe', a bird-like image and a detailed zebra with mane hairs. There is a 5-toed feline pug mark with extended claws and also an equid spoor. Other, less finely engraved animals on this panel include an ostrich, 3 antelope, a circular outline. The right hand side panel has many engravings such as the odd rhino-antelope animal in punctate pecked-infill. There is also an elephant in a similar punctate pecked-infill. There is a row of giraffe with deeply engraved pecked-infill crescent bodies. Two lean felines, perhaps cheetah or leopard are engraved in addition to 2 other felines. There is a small pecked-infill rhino with a very long wiggly horn. There is also oryx, a second row of giraffe and lots of spoor - dominated by a large punctate-infill giraffe spoor as well as equid, feline and antelope. Two oryx have twisted perspective spoor-feet.

Below Reisenblock: Immediately below the vertical engraved panel are two huge collapsed rock slabs at steep 40° to 50° angles there are engraved antelope, many giraffe - including a very large one -, equids a large punctate-infill elephant, ostrich and spoor.