The Sevilla Rock Art Trail

Cederberg Mountains, Western Cape, South Africa

October 2004

K.E. Sharpe

 

The Cederberg Mountains in the North West of South Africa boasts more images per square kilometre than any other area in the world. This rich and spectacular resource was created by pre-colonal hunters and gatherers, the ancestors of /Xam of the Karoo and distant relatives of the Ju/'hoansi of the Kalahari, collectively known as the San or Bushmen.

The Sevilla Rock Art Trail is one of two walks opened to the public as a cooperative venture between the owners of the Traveller's Rest (a farm which provides accommodation and food) and the SA Museum. Visitors must obtain permits from the farm, and the condition of sites is closely monitored to ensure that public access does not cause any deterioration of the paintings. The Sevilla trail includes ten rock art sites within approximately 4 km of the startpoint at the farm, with easy walking conditions but some scrambling over large boulders. The trail is marked in white footprints and guides (both short or more detailed) are available. These include useful representations of the art, with some interpretation, and also references to plants found along the route. The following photographs depict my own journey along the trail in October 2004. Pictures can be accessed directly by clicking on the numbered sites on the map, or in sequence by scrolling down the page.

 

Click on the numbers to go directly to each site

Site 1Site 2Site 4Site 3Site 6Site 7Site 8Site 9Site 10Site 5

Site 1Site 2Site 3Site 5Site 6Site 7Site 8Site 9Site 10Travellers' Rest

 

Site One

A group of faded red 'hookhead' figures is obscured by a later painting of a large group of people, coloured black by lichen. The hook heads are due to differential fading of pigments.

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Site Two

Site two is known as 'The Cave of Monsters' due to the lizard-like creatures (top right) depicted on the front on the shelter (dinosaurs?!). On the back wall is a group of figures who appear to be clapping. The large 'blobs' are thought to have been points of power used by trancing shaman. A zebra-like creature (top left) may be a representation of the extinct quagga. Note the ill-defined object under the quagga's tail - could this be the legs of a foal emerging during the birthing process? The shelter offers wide views of the valley and surrounding hills.

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Site Three

 

Site three is located around a monumental piece of rock which is tilted precariously forming a small gap affording wide views of the valley. The incomplete animals (bottom right) are painted onto the underside of the rock. They are thought to have human legs but bare a striking resemblence to the baboons which are common in South Africa. Nearby, a family group is portrayed (top left), and there are many groups of black stick figures (see above), possibly created using the black tar-like substance resulting from the accumulation of dassie dung! (The dassie or hyrax is a small, rodent-like creature, related to the elephant!).

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Site Four

 

Site four is dominated by equine figures, probably zebra or quagga.

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Site Five

 

Site five is a long, shallow overhang filled with many paintings. On the left hand wall is a very clear and finely executed archer, drawing back his bowstring (bottom right). The black outline (centre) depicts a finely drawn Gemsbok. Elsewhere there is a beatiful picture of a new-born foal finding its legs (top right), and a line of figures who appear to be marching up a fissure in the rock (centre left).

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Site Six

 

Site six includes a line of seven dancing women (top left), demonstrating the characteristic steatopygia of the San, which results in enlarged buttocks which store fat reserves. Elsewhere are more interesting animals, including one which appears to be flying (top right), and a small creature depicted in yellow ochre. There is also another very clear bowman, and a large black hook-headed figure.

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Site Seven

 

Site seven is dominated by elephants! Two large yellow elephants greet you as you enter the cave. At approx. 75cm in lenght they are some of the largest paintings on the trail. Human figures are also depicted. Two 'hookheads' (top right) appear to be wearing white karosses, possibly with hoods. The small reddish elephant is close by. A long line of figures (bottom right) covers another wall.

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Site Eight

 

Site has been used as a sheep and goat kraal for many years and is adorned with a variety of hand prints, some belonging to children. Some believe the prints were made by the Koi rather than the San.

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Site Nine

 

Site nine is the last on the northern side of the valley. A large part of the rock face has split away and fallen into the front of the shelter, obscuring some older paintings of eland and zebra/quagga (bottom, and top right). Also behind the fallen boulder are several elongated figures (top left). The freshly exposed rock face is adorned with two dancing ladies (centre).

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Site Ten

 

Site ten is located approx. 1km further along the trail on the south side of the valley in a low overhang. This fascinating painting depicts a 'procession' of a group of thirty-five people - twenty-five in the main, upper group and a further ten figures thought to be children or young boys shown lower down the rock. They appear to be wearing karosses and ornamental headgear.

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Natural 'rainbow' rock colouring caused by minerals and lichen:

The honeycomb rock is rapidly breaking down:

 

Further Reading:

Parkington, John (2003) Cederberg Rock Paintings, Cape Town.

Parkington, John (2002) The Mantis, the Eland and the Hunter, Cape Town.

Slingsby, Peter (2002) Rock Art of the Western Cape. Book 1: The Sevilla Trail and the Travellers' Rest, Baardskeerder, Muizenberg.

 

Links:

The Living Landscape Project, Clanwilliam: http://www.cllp.uct.ac.za/

Travellers' Rest Farm: http://www.travellersrest.co.za/

Clan William Information Pages: http://www.clanwilliam.info/info/inforockart.htm

Cederburg Accommodation: http://www.citrusdal.info/c_berg.htm