The Old Diocesan Issue 12 - Magazine - Page 81
OPENING PHOTOGRAPH GALLO IMAGES
EPIC
to join us on the trail. Standing
on the outer edge of the Cape Fold
Belt, Professor Compton provided
the boys with a brief history of how
the landscape we were traversing
had been formed. This starting
point for contextualising the area’s
rock art – taking in “the view
of Africa” while establishing an
understanding of the geological
history of the landscape – is
something I have since continued
to build into the programme.
Journeying in time and space
is one of the key concepts that
underpin the “Heritage and
Connectedness” programme.
When I talk to the boys, I try
to tap into the physical journey
they are taking, by foot and bicycle,
through the mountains. I seek to
explore and discuss with them
the long journey of our species,
Homo sapiens, and in particular the
priceless heritage of the San rock
paintings, which are so densely
concentrated in the northern
Cederberg region. These paintings
“There are scattered rock art sites all over the
eastern Cederberg, from Kromrivier to Stadsaal,
Truitjieskraal to Bakkrans, but nothing compares
to the richness of sites to be found in the AgterPakhuis.” – Peter Slingsby, Cederberg: The Book
represent a vital contribution
to our understanding of human
cultural development in Africa.
Moving on from the start of
our journey, the next step of the
programme is to drive down into
the Brandewyn River valley, walk
along the Sevilla Rock Art Trail,
and engage with our central topic:
the rock paintings of the San.
One particular painting found
at site five on the Sevilla trail is
what the noted archaeologist
John Parkington refers to as
a “fine line image” (see next
page). Rendered with a delicate
instrument and demonstrating
great subtlety of observation, it
depicts a hunter on the move as
he draws back his bowstring, the
right hand and arm rendered with
a sophisticated understanding of
foreshortening. As a depiction of an
archer, the painting demonstrates
a contained vitality, a tautness in
the handling of form that makes
it so convincing.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP John
Compton describes the geology of
the Cederberg; Peter Hyslop and
boys atop Sneeuberg; Looking Over
An Ancient Landscape. OPPOSITE
Ancient San rock art of dancing
women on the Sevilla Rock Art Trail.
THE OLD DIOCESAN | 77
