Expressions of fertility in the rock art of Bantu-speaking agriculturists

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of the 'Late White' rock paintings of south-central and southern Africa. It is argued that the most recent paintings were produced by matrilineal or bilateral Bantu-speaking agriculturists, although links with earlier hunter-gatherer groups are also implied. It is noted that certain motifs reoccur over great geographical distances. Ethnographic data are used in order to suggest a possible meaning for these motifs and for the paintings in general. It is argued that many of these paintings embody conceptual associations linking them to fertility. A general outline of the most obvious associations is presented, and a plea is made for detailed regional surveys in order to explain temporal and spatial differences. R~sum~Cet article prrsente une vue d'ensemble sur les peintures rupestres 'Late White' d'Afrique australe et du sud de l'Afrique centrale. I1 drfend l'idre que les peintures les plus rrcentes ont 6t6 produites par des agriculteurs matrilinraires ou bilatrraux parlant le bantou, tout en supposant des rapports avec des groupes plus anciens vivant de la chasse et de la cueillette. On remarque que certains motifs rfapparaissent .~ de grandes distances g6ogra-phiques. L'article s'appuie sur des donnres ethnographiques pour suggrrer une signification possible h ces motifs ainsi qu'aux peintures en grnrral. II drmontre que nombreuses de ces peintures repr6sentent des associations conceptuelles les associant ~ la fertilit& Un aper~;u g~ndral des associations les plus ~videntes est present6 et les auteurs demandent que des 6tudes rrgionales drtaill6es soient effectu6es afin d'expliquer les diffrrences temporelles et spatiales.

Positive Art: Artistic Expression and Appreciation as an Exemplary Vehicle for Flourishing

“…The urge toward self-expression using visual media is a constant in human history, with the earliest works of art dating back at least 40,000 years (Than, 2012). Speculations on the significance of such art range from these being petitionary representations of desired outcomes (e.g., fertility; Prins & Hall, 1994) to vehicles for shamanic mystical experience (Lewis-Williams, 1995). Subsequently, visual art has been integral to human culture, particularly in providing a potent medium through which religious or spiritual traditions have communicated their teachings and inspired their adherents (Jensen, 2013).…”

Rock Art and Sacred Landscapes

“…The White Spread-eagled tradition has been linked to girls' initiation ceremonies (Phillipson 1976 ;Lindgren and Schoffeleers 1978 ;Prins and Hall 1994 ) and more specifi cally to Chinamwali (Smith 1997 ;Zubieta 2006Zubieta , 2009. Chinamwali is an initiation ceremony to which all girls should attend when they have had their fi rst menstrual cycle in order to be transformed into full-grown women.…”

“…Smith mentions that these designs have been found in Limpopo Province, South Africa, central and southern Zimbabwe, the Tsodilo Mountains in north-eastern Botswana, western Angola, central Tanzania, southwest Kenya, and in the Lake Victoria basin ( 1995 :179-180). The spread of such motifs have prompted other authors to theorize about the possible link between their wide geographical distribution and possible interpretation (Prins and Hall 1994 ). Caution must be stressed, however, when suggesting that these motifs have the same meaning, and it is advisable to study each region independently before drawing regional conclusions.…”

A history in paint and stone from Rose Cottage Cave, South Africa

“…Excavated material culture has provided information that relates principally to economic, environmental and technological aspects of forager life; only recently have social implications been considered (Wadley 1987;Maze1 1989; see also Barham 1992). Rock art research has a much longer history of using social theory to interpret imagery and has focused on issues such as religion (Vinnicombe 1976; Lewis-Williams 1981a), political strategies (Campbell 1986;Dowson 1994), forageragriculturist contiguity (Hall 1994;Prins & Hall 1994;Jolly 1996;Ouzman 1995a) and the construction of regional histories (Loubser & Laurens 1994; Yates & Smith 1994). Though polysemic in nature, it is generally agreed that the pro-duction and content of most of the forager rock art in southern Africa centres on the hallucinatory visions and experiences of San religious adepts or shamans (Lewis-Williams 1981a;Huffman 1983;Deacon 1988; Kinahan 1991;Garlake 1995; see also Dowson & Lewis- Williams 1994).…”