South
Africa has without doubt one of the finest collections of rock paintings
in the world. This is true not only in terms of the thousands of
sites scattered around the country, but also in terms of the rich and detailed
subject matter contained in the paintings. This painting tradition, spanning
more than 26 000 years, depicts the spiritual and ritual experiences, as
well as certain day to day activities of the indigenous hunter-gatherer
(bushman) communities. Two major threats to this art legacy are natural
weathering and desecration by people.
Preserving This Heritage
Artist and conservationist
Stephen Townley Bassett is doing all he can to record and preserve rock
paintings in Southern Africa. One of Stephen's recent commissions was the
recording of rock paintings on the beautiful Bushmans Kloof Wilderness
Reserve in the Cederberg.
This website tells you more about how Stephen records rock art and is
involved in its conservation.