PDB 6/ HSQ 28
ROCK ART SITE RECORD FORM
___________________________________________________________________________
1. General site information
LOCAL SITE NAME
: Paardebond/
RECORDER’S NAME
: Renée Rust
ACCOMPANIED BY
:
Kleinzoutkloof
MAP SHEET
: 3321DC Langberg
GPS POSITION
: 33°49,331' S
21°52,312' E
Jan van der Poll
Nantie Fourie
Corné Fourie
ALTITUDE
: 430m
SITE NO.
: PDB 6/ HSQ 28
ACCESS TO SITE
: access 40m above the
CONTACT PERSON/
stream
OWNER
POSTAL ADDRESS
Nantie Fourie
Paardebond Plaas
Posbus 1620, Oudtshoorn
RECORDING
: Tracings/ digital
METHODS
photographs
NO. OF TRACINGS
: 11
TEL. CODE
044
SITE PREVIOUSLY
: Not recorded
PHONE
2035259
RECORDED
CELL 0825625853
E-MAIL
DATE OF RECENT
[email protected]
: 19/04/2011
RECORDING
Additional information
 Management of the site – is it in need of cleaning up? Is there a fire hazard?
 Is the site inspected?
No
Irregularly visited by the owner and family
 Possibility of eco-tourism
No – unless guided by rock art guide
 Possible past or recent utilisation of site – is there a presence of rubbings?
rubbings
 Effects of sound – rushing water, echoes, beehives?
 Is it an occupational site?
Echoes
Uncertain due to old manure deposit
Palettes/
2. Description of the site
• GRADIENT
: <10 °
•
ORIENTATION
: West
•
TERRAIN
: Conglomerate/ sandy
•
TYPE OF SITE
: Large overhang/cave
•
SIZE OF CAVE /
OVERHANG
: Width – 31m
Depth – 10 - 18m
Height – 3 - 7m
•
NATURAL
SCREENING OF SITE
: Visibility on approach – the site is visible from far off
Visibility from the site – view of landscape and kloof
•
EXPOSURE TO
SUNLIGHT
: Afternoons
•
NATURE OF DEPOSIT
: Sandy, rocky
•
ARTEFACTS PRESENT
: Stone flakes
•
ACCESS TO WATER
: 40m above kloof with water flow in rivulet
View of Fouriesberg towards the southeast – the Kleinzoutkloof site is on the western rise of the hill from
where the photograph was taken.
2
3. Condition of paintings
•
% OF SEEPAGE / DRIP /
LICHEN / MOSS AND
VEGETATION ON PAINTINGS
•
ARE PAINTINGS IN DANGER
OF DISAPPEARING?
•
: 50 %
: Yes
VANDALISM / GRAFFITI
PRESENT ON THE PAINTINGS
: Paint chipped off – none
Charcoal – none
Paint – none
Scratches – none
Smoke – none
Other – exfoliation, mineralization
4. General description of paintings
•
ESTIMATE NUMBER OF
PAINTED IMAGES
•
CLARITY OF PAINTINGS
: >100
: Colours – poor to good
Outlines – poor to moderate
Detail – poor to good
•
COLOUR OF PAINTINGS
: Red – 85%
Yellow - 5%/ orange 7%
White - 3%
Black – /
Bi / Polychrome - present
View of site opening.
3
General description of paintings (continued)
•
SUBJECT MATTER
: Human – male figures
Animal – antelope, sheep
Handprints – present
Palettes/Smeared areas – present
Finger dots/strokes – large individual and rows of dots
Lines – present
Therianthrope – present – half human half antelope
5. Record of images
PLAN VIEW OF SITE WITH POSITIONS OF PAINTINGS INDICATED
4
Description of paintings, location, tracing and/or digital image
Map
pos.
No. of
tracing
Description
This is an imposing site of large dimensions (18 X 30m) (Figs. 1a and
b), shaped in conglomerates with quartzite pebbles, rounded and smooth
nodule inserts, and where these jut out in the rock face the painters have
found some suitable as surface for their images. Due to sheltering
animals, domestic or otherwise, the shelter floor has filled up over the
years with manure deposits, covering most occupational residue and
evidence of artefacts. Deep recesses towards the back of the shelter echo
sounds throughout. The paintings have vivid hues of red, orange, yellow
and some white – however others have faded and the outlines indistinct,
due to exfoliation and manganese seepage covering the paintings.
Fig. 1a. The inner recesses of the cave –there are no paintings at the back of
the cave - the paintings (not visible here) are to the right.
Fig. 1b. The inner southern corner of the site with the painted area in the
background – the paintings are on the lighter shade of the rock face.
5
Approximately 90% of the paintings extend across 10m on the southern
wall of the cave, 500cm up from the cave floor, and Tracing a shows
the paintings starting in the furthest left corner of the frieze to extend to
furthest point to the right as indicated on the map. There are more
paintings to the left of Tracing a, but these are on a higher level and
documented in Tracings I, j, k as shown further on in this document.
A -0 2, 3m
a
This is a colourful frieze of paintings (Fig. 2), showing 10 or more
yellow human figures, partially preserved (average height 300mm, the
largest one at a height of 450mm). They stride depicted with well
defined calves, one seated (Figs. 3 and 8); they have red fill-in faces to
the yellow hook heads, some wear caps with strip red bands hanging
down from these; they carry flywhisks, or sticks and bags (rounded or
triangular shapes) of red and orange with red ribbon-like bands,
numbering four to eight strips forming a hooped image, emanating from
the shape of the bag itself. In some cases the torsos have faded and are
indistinct and only the red/orange bags and strips show (Figs. 3 and 4).
Fig. 2. The large frieze of human and animal images with vivid colours. There are
many colourful bags amongst the figures.
6
In addition to containing potency-imbued substances, bags have
transformative powers. In a /Xam myth, /Kaggen (trickster-god)
transforms himself into a flying thing by getting into a bag. The whole
scene is filled with indications as to the supernatural context of the
imagery on the rock face.
Fig. 3. The yellow figures with tasselled bags. Immediately above this figure is a tall
yellow human figure (400mm in height) with similar shaped red tasselled bag, carrying
red flywhisks; it has a long yellow face with red fill. Notice the seated yellow figure on
the right, lower down from the larger yellow figure, wearing headdress/cap with
tassels.
7
. Fig. 4. A close up of the partially preserved yellow figure with brightly
coloured tasselled bag. Here as elsewhere the rock face shows white silicate
mineralization where the surface has exfoliated.
To the left in the frieze shown above (cf. Fig. 3) is an antelope, red with
white underbelly (195mm in length from tip of tail to shoulder)– its
head (probably white) has faded and it is superimposes another antelope
facing the opposite way, with only its hind legs showing (Fig. 5).
Exfoliation of the rock surface has removed the rest of its body. Red
dots are visible surrounding these images.
8
Fig. 5. The composite image of antelope, probably eland.
In the centre of the frieze of Tracing a is an imposing animal-like image
(partially preserved), probably an antelope; its hind body is coloured
orange and yellow; it has vivid dark red legs with toes showing; these
appear to be human (Figs. 6a, 6b, white arrow indicates the figure, and 7). To
the right there is a head shape that may be the head of the antelope
described; the vividly coloured legs and head shape appear to be of the
same paint colour. Immediately above the faded image of the antelope
with the red human legs (therianthropic feature), is an orange bag with
lines emanating from this image, probably tassels and overlying the
animal-like body below (cf. Fig. 7). These figures described are in the
midst of many images; some only a head (Fig. 8), a body part or a bag
shape and tasselled red lines indicating a figure (due to poor
preservation). Some of these human figures are exceptionally small,
measuring 45mm in height, coloured red and appear stick-like. The large
yellow figure (450mm in height), partially preserved, faces left, has red
banded lines emanating from its yellow head (red fill-in), and has more
red lines surrounding its yellow torso (Fig. 9). Below this figure are
more figures; one red (Figs. 6b and 10), 400mm in height, and another
to the immediate right, with red head and yellow torso and bag with
tassels, is superimposed by a dark red/orange figure (350mm in height)
9
with lines emanating from its body (Figs. 11a and 11b). It is poorly
preserved like most of the images in this section.
To the right of the above described figures are two kaross clad figures,
one red and the other yellow (average height 200mm), [one coloured red
shows in Figure 11b to the immediate right of orange figure described
above]; the yellow kaross figure is present above the red one; both have
a line emanating from their torsos. They are surrounded by thin banded
lines and partially preserved head shapes that may indicate more figures.
Five hook head shapes with either yellow or red fill-in, some with
darker band to the head that may indicate a cap or headdress with
tassels, and surrounded by lines but indistinct torso and body parts, are
visible in this section. Lower down there is a fat-tailed sheep, orange
coloured with thin legs (140mm from tail to head).
Above these images described, there are five bags with tassels (some
paired); they are painted in hues of yellow, orange and red, of an average
size of 90mm across and 100mm to top of ‘handles’ (Fig. 12). These
bags are individually depicted and placed in a row.
Fig. 6a. The whole frieze of Tracing a.
10
Fig. 6b. The white arrow indicates the figure with the well defined legs. The large
yellow figure described in text is visible to the right and others lower down.
Fig. 7. A close up photograph of the therianthropic figure with red
legs and animal back and tail. A bag with tassels is visible above.
11
Fig. 8. The figures with red bags and yellow figures, one
seated on the right; behind it only the head and yellow fill-in
of the head with red cap and tassels remains.
Fig. 9. The central yellow figure with red fill-in face and lines
emanating from its head and surrounded by banded red lines
12
Fig. 10. The red human figure with well defined calves.
Fig. 11a. The red human figure in relation to the yellows figures and the red/orange
figure superimposing a yellow figure. The red coloured kaross clad figure is visible
to the right.
13
. Fig. 11b. The composite image of red, yellow figures and the
kaross figure above. The photograph is taken at an angle and the
figures should be more upright as depicted in Fig.10a.
Fig. 12. The row of colourful bags with handles is visible above the human figures.
14
B1,5m
b
Higher up from Tracing a on a rock ledge that is jutting out, one and
half metres above floor level, a large red/brown human figure (220mm
in height) appears to emerge out of a crevice – its feet being ‘hidden’ by
the crack in the rock face (Fig. 13, also cf. Figs 2 and 6a). It strides to
the right [its left leg raised up] but its face is turned to the left. A line
emanates from its right shoulder and double lines are gripped lower
down in the right hand or perhaps with both hands. A partially preserved
red positive left handprint (150mm from palm to top of fingers) is
visible to the immediate right of the figure and individual red dots
above. Sixteen red finger dots are present to the far left of the human
figure on the same level, neatly grouped and executed on a protruding
feature of the rock face (Fig. 14).
Fig. 13. The red figure higher up on the rock face.
15
Fig. 14. Red dots on a protruding ledge to the left of the red figure.
C–
3m
c
Tracing c completes the first frieze to the right and adjoins Tracing a
[overlap marked on tracings]. Lower down from the row of red/orange
and yellow bags with tassels, are six partially preserved human figures
(average size 230mm in height) – they have kaross-shaped torsos, and
red hook heads with yellow fill-in; the one figure in front of the row
‘wears’ what may be a black headdress or cap (Fig. 15). The red figure
in the centre of the row is distinct (220mm in height) and is
superimposed by a white sheep image (140mm from head to tail) (Figs.
16 and 17); the sheep figure has a prominent dewlap commencing on the
throat, thin legs and characteristic fat tail. Exfoliation and the resultant
silicate deposits have damaged these figures in places. The yellow figure
with a red hook head behind the prominent red figure, has interesting
features on its head; it appears to have a similar black headdress or cap
as the figure in front of the row – the black feature ‘sits’ on top of red
hook of the head, however the red paint is over the black. Three red
short lines emanate from the red hook head and appear to ‘flow’ over
the black covering (Fig. 16). The lower bodies of these figures are
indistinct or not painted. Positive handprints, right hand prints (140mm
from palm to top of fingers) are present higher up from these figures
(Fig. 18).
16
Fig. 15. The row of human figures below the bags. The white fat-tailed sheep image
is visible superimposed over the prominent red figure.
Fig. 16. The head with black covering and lines behind the red figure.
17
Fig. 17. The prominent kaross clad figure and sheep image.
Fig. 18. The positive right hand prints above the human figures in Figure 15.
There are six, possibly more images of sheep at this site. Four are
executed in x-ray style, that is, as if the image maker could see the
inside of the animal and depicted it so. Tracing d shows sheep painted
18
in this style; two red and one yellow (there may be more here as they are
not well preserved and paint residue is visible). Images of sheep are rare
in the Klein Karoo rock art sample and may on the one hand be
associated with indigenous herders or European incursions and have
adverse connotations confirming the existence of dangerous infiltration
and conflict in the contact period. Painting the sheep images the painters
‘thereby nailed down’ the influences of these entities that endangered
their community (Lewis-Willians 2011: 146), dispelling so to speak the
threats that these other parties represented at the time; or the painters
may be trying to assert some manipulation and management of the
situation by painting these images to harness the potency that the sheep
may represent if controlled.
D–
5m
d
The paintings at Tracing d are poorly preserved. Here there is one
human figure (350mm in height); it has thin arms held out in front,
carries a bag and/or may be wearing a kaross; it also carries a quiver and
stick, and has well shaped legs. It has no head, but a large red smear is
visible in the space of the head and extends behind the upper torso
(Figs. 19 and 20). Higher up above this figure are handprints – a left
hand print (130mm from palm to finger tips) appears to enfold, literally,
a stone nodule jutting out on the rock face (Fig. 21). Lower down from
the central figure are unusually large dots, which may represent more
images but which are now indistinct.
Fig. 19. The red figure on
the left, ‘smeared’ by red
paint over head and
shoulders which may
represent more images.
19
Fig. 20. This red human figure strides to the left with arms held in front.
E–
6m
e
Tracing e overlaps Tracing d: A red male figure (70mm in height) – it
has both arms stretched out holding the bow. It wears a tail flap and has
a large penis (Fig. 21). Another red figure (80mm in length) appears to
‘float’ towards the figure
with the bow (Fig. 22). An
anomalous image is visible
to the right (123mm across
and 190mm in height). It
appears animal-like but in
styliform manner (Fig. 23).
Fig. 21. The figure with
the bow.
20
Fig. 22. The white arrows point to the handprint on the jutting-out pebble insert (top
middle), and to the male figure holding a bow (bottom right). The red figure described
above is visible in the centre of the photograph (cf. Figs. 19 and 20).
Fig. 23. The styliform image. Red dots and smears surround this image – it may
represent more images but now indistinct.
F–
7m
f
Tracing f shows three red positive left hand prints (average size 140mm
from palm to tip of fingers) (Fig. 24). There are more paint smears and
dots which may represent additional images, but which are now
indistinct. To the left compactly executed on a quartzite protrusion
21
(210mm wide and 80mm high) are red ‘crosses’ and individual finger
dots; these finger painted images may superimpose small human figures.
It is not distinct and only legs (15mm long) are visible (Fig. 25).
Fig. 24. The painted stone insert on the left and handprints in
proximity. This photograph shows the images of Tracing g on the
right.
Fig. 25. The stone insert embedded in the rock face with finger painted images.
22
Fig. 26. The content of Tracings f and g are shown here. The sheep images
(two yellow and two red) are visible at the bottom of the photograph. Higher
up in the hole formed by a protruding rock in the conglomerate surface, red
dots have been executed (white arrow indicated the position).
G–
8m
g
Tracing g adjoins Tracing f: The interesting and unusual images of
sheep are present at the bottom of Tracing f (Figs. 27 and 28). They
have long sharp head shapes, thin legs, slight dewlaps and thickening at
the tail end. The largest one is 140mm from tail to head. Two are yellow
and two red. Lines evenly spaced with gaps in the paint application,
shape the rounded bellies. Higher up there is another possible sheep
image (110mm from head to tail); thin legs, prominent tail - it is poorly
preserved. This figure is interesting as it has a hook head and may thus
be a therianthropic using the body of a sheep to complete the image.
23
Higher up there are positive right handprints (130mm from palm to
finger tips).
In the hole formed in the irregularities of the conglomerate surface (cf.
Fig.26) are 18 red finger dots grouped in vertical rows, deftly applied
inside the hole. Two red human figures (50mm in height) are visible on
the edge of the hole with dots. They carry equipment, bags, and have
well defined legs and feet (Fig. 29).
Fig. 27. The four sheep images. The yellow sheep images are at the top and to the left.
Fig. 28. The two red sheep figures.
24
Fig. 29. The two human figures near the hole with dots.
H–
9m
h
Tracing h- Here there is a small antelope (110mm from head to tail)
visible high up the rock face (one and half metre from floor level) (Fig.
30). It has delicate features, large rounded ears, a long face, and high
rump. This may represent a Cape Grysbok (Raphicerus melanotis). It is
depicted without horns so it may be a female. It holds its head down.
Right hand prints (130mm from palm to tip of fingers) are present; the
one in close proximity to the antelope described to the left appears to be
a patterned print (Fig. 31). The term patterned is used to describe a
handprint which is applied when paint is put on the palm and fingers of
the hand and then imprinted on the rock face to leave an impression;
sometimes the print is smeared by pulling the fingers over the paint left
by the handprint. It is suggested that because deeper trancing dimensions
were reserved for the socially accepted and more experienced shamans
in the group, the other dancers and initiates may have participated only
as far as the first stage – in this lighter stage of altered state they are then
still aware of their environment. These participants in the dance ritual
may have taken paint on their fingers or full hand and placed these over
paintings or close to paintings on the rock face, in an act of participation
in the ritual and to be recipients of the power and healing activated thus.
25
Fig. 30. The antelope with head down. Small red dots are visible near its hind legs.
Fig. 31. The content of Tracing h – the antelope with head down near a patterned and
positive right handprint. There are more handprints to the right.
I&J
Tracings i and j are located to the left of Tracing a, along the east wall
– 1m –
of the cave/shelter, higher up the rock face above a ledge. The paintings
4m
extend across four metres of rock surface. Tracing i is located 3,5m
from Tracing a, and the corner of the south wall of the shelter. Further
on to the left from Tracing i [6m on from Tracing a on the south wall]
there are 17 positive handprints (average size 140mm) (Fig. 32). The
handprints appear to enfold the conglomerate boulders on the rock face.
26
Fig. 32. Some of the positive handprints to the left of Tracing i.
I – 3m
i
Tracing i shows 10 orange coloured human male figures (average size
140mm in height) in dance postures (Fig. 33). They carry fly whisks
(used when dancing), rattles, sticks, bows and quivers with arrows. Two
right handprints (140mm from palm to tip of fingers) are visible
surrounding the figures; one handprint appears to superimpose part of
the lower leg and foot of a human figure to the right of the frieze.
Five of the figures ‘move’ energetically, in a row, facing to the right these figures have their legs widely spaced; the first from the left, a hook
head holding a flywhisk and arm held out forward; the second carrying a
bag, arm held outward, and its right leg intertwined with the figure in
front; the third with a possible headband filled with arrows and bow
drawn with arrow raised, its right leg touching the right leg of the figure
in front; the fourth figure has thin arms held out forward with similar
fascicle (fascis) of arrows in the vicinity of where the head should be;
and the fifth has its arms held upward in front and another
representation of a drawn bow with the arrow in readiness. The other
figures are partially preserved but also show fascicled arrow points, hold
flywhisks, sticks [even possibly a stick with a hook for drawing out
animals from their burrows –carried by the figure at the far right of the
frieze] (Fig. 34). Above this figure wedged into a crevice in the rock
27
face is a wooden peg (cf. Fig. 34) [for explanation cf. Figure 36].
Fig. 33. The orange coloured figures in dance postures.
Fig. 34. The orange figure with fly whisk, hooked stick
– a handprint is visible below.
J – 2m
j
Tracing j is to the right of Tracing i. Here there are more positive
handprints, once again a handprint appears to clasp round a jutting out
28
boulder in the conglomerate rock surface. There are three (130mm in
height) one partially preserved, orange human male figures visible - they
are ‘moving’ towards the left, with concave head shapes; one faces
backward and has lines emanating from his finger – he has a penis. The
figure in front carries a stick and its lower leg is superimposed by a red
smear of paint.
Below these figures described, is another orange human figure (190mm
in height) with a concave shaped head – he appears to stride out and
carries a quiver and bow shaped stick. Lower down from this figure,
neatly executed to fill the opening below a step in the rock face, is an
antelope (80mm in height) with horns and long straight tail [it may be a
gemsbok] – it is in an upright position (Fig. 35). Two orange lines
emanate from this antelope; one from its horns, the other from the hump
on its back. These lines go upward and join, and terminate or appear to
go ‘into’ and ‘under’ the step in the rock face. Thin banded orange lines
(14 in total) are present in front of this antelope also executed to fit in
the shallow hole.
To the right of these figures wedged in a crevice in rock face are two
sticks (10mm in diameter), [similar to one shown in Figure 34], broken
off now, but which were possibly used to hang a leather bag on (Fig.
36). Bushman beliefs suggest that bags had special significance beyond
everyday use. Getting into a skin bag even a kaross, was equivalent to
getting into an animal – that is, taking on its own potency. These
wooden sticks may have held up the ‘real’ bags and also other
equipment against the rock face. Sometimes these bags are shown thus
in depiction – paintings of bags show the wooden peg(s) to which they
are attached. Bags painted next to a dance and by themselves, thus may
signify trance experience rather than merely discarded equipment. The
important truth to guide interpretation and fathom out the depths of
meaning is that San thought, religious experience and ritual formed a
directly interconnected network.
There are more paintings on this east wall of the shelter but some are
29
poorly preserved (Fig. 37).
Fig. 35. The antelope and lines.
Fig. 36. The two sticks wedged into a hole in the rock face.
30
Fig. 37. More paintings are present but indistinct and were not copied.
Tracing k, to the right and below Tracings i and j, shows an insect-like
image with flap-like tail – its body is 75mm in height and its four
spread-eagled limbs are 40mm in length. However, if compared with the
orange human figures at the Leeublad site in the Kammanasie
mountains, near north of Oudtshoorn, Klein Karoo (Fig. 40), grouped
together in dance postures, there are similarities in the way the thin arms
and legs are spread-eagled in stance and the flap over the buttocks are
similar in shape. Hence, this figure at PDB 6/HSQ 28 (cf. Figs. 38 and
39) is possibly a human figure but it has no head. There are faint residue
marks of paint where the head may have been.
This figure furthermore superimposes an antelope image (indistinct) another possible eland with faint white outline is higher up, also unclear.
It is possible that lines emanate from its arm on the left side. These
images are surrounded by rows of blurred red dots and a bag-like image,
visible below the figure as described
(Fig. 39). The only insect image found so
far in the rock art sample of the
Hessequa rock art project is this figure
included in the text to the left, at the site
Kamma Attakwas HSQ 20.
The insect image mentioned here.
31
Fig. 38. The insect-like image.
Fig. 39. The insect-like image with dots and bag image below.
32
Fig. 40. The human figures in dance postures at the Leeublad site.
Reference: Lewis-Williams, D. & Challis, S. 2011. Deciphering ancient minds: the
mystery of San Bushman rock art. London: Thames & Hudson.
©Dr Renée Rust
Cell: 082 394 5588 Fax: 021 844 0700 email: [email protected]
Department Geography & Environmental Studies
University of Stellenbosch; Matieland 7602
South Africa
In association with: Members of Hessequa Archaeological Society
Brian Mathiesen
Jan van der Poll (BA Hons)
33