The rock art of the Anysberg Nature Reserve, Western Cape : a sense of place and rainmaking

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:The Anysberg Nature Reserve is a block of mountainous terrain comprising 44 515 ha in the LittleKaroo of the Western Cape. There are approximately 50 known rock art sites within its boundaries.During a two-year site survey details of the rock art images were recorded on forms and, wherepossible, by tracing and photography. The sites tend to be small with fewer than 50 images per siteand are located in narrow kloofs, mostly on the Anysberg. Few sites have occupation deposits. Themain interest has been the interpretation of the images. Human figures, predominantly male, aremost commonly represented. Other images are animals, such as eland and elephants, antelope,felines and therianthropes, as well as non-representational marks. There are clear resemblances incontent and style to the rock art in the Hex River Valley, the Cederberg and the Western Capegenerally. The art can be linked to shamanistic experiences in altered states of consciousness. Anumber of depictions can be interpreted as part of rainmaking rituals.KEYWORDS: Rock art, shamanism, rainmaking.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University