INTRO. The year 1927 brought about a new National Monument –– Tsodilo Hills. Tsodilo Hills is located in Botswana, Africa. Tsodilo Hills is an African rock art site, one located near the border of South Africa, “near the borders with Namibia and the Caprivi Strip, west of the Okavango Delta” (Trust for African Rock Art). Located at the site are roughly 4,500 paintings and etchings. African rock art is an understudied, underappreciated form of art and culture that runs deep in the African continent. Most of the rock art is done in caves, the sides of mountains, or other hill-like or rock-like figures. There are many rock art sites that are under researched in Africa, over the entirety of the continent. Rock art sites can provide an
…show more content…
An underwhelming amount of holistic research has been done on the continent and the different groups that find home inside of Africa. The culture, art, society, and history of the people of Africa are not well understood. Rock art is proving to be an important method in beginning to better understand the history of Africa. The many rock art sites that litter the different countries and span across the continent will be of much help in understanding the continent’s past if different branches of researchers come together and combine their research. Tsodilo Hills is one of these rock art sites that holds knowledge about the continent’s rich past, and specifically the groups of the more southern regions of Africa. The Hills span across the Kalahari Desert, and offer insight into the historical and cultural background of the area that is often …show more content…
Much of the art, if not all of the art, is just figures rather than stories. Usually seen are depictions of animals or some kind of spiritual figure. Much of the art is “outlined schematic designs and geometrical patterns” (Botswana Tourism). Perhaps this is so because it represented their view of life. The “western” way of viewing life is much different than that of many African tribes. In the western world, life is viewed as linear –– A happens, then B, then C, and so on until death. This is not so much how life is viewed in other cultures. In many African cultures, life is viewed as cyclical; furthermore, life begins, you live your life, and once you die, a new life begins. This may have translated into the art work as we do not see linear scenes, rather just pieces of life.. Finding religious significance is important when trying to understand the culture. The majority of the people of Africa belong to a religion. The two largest religions in the continent are Christianity and Islam. Religious practice is important to the people of Africa, and we see historically this has almost always been the truth. Much of the art shows depictions of sacred figures and other religious or holy figures. People of the area believe the Hills to be sacred. The people of the area believe that their god, Nyambe, placed the tribe and their livestock onto the Female Hill. Their proof for this
An underwhelming amount of holistic research has been done on the continent and the different groups that find home inside of Africa. The culture, art, society, and history of the people of Africa are not well understood. Rock art is proving to be an important method in beginning to better understand the history of Africa. The many rock art sites that litter the different countries and span across the continent will be of much help in understanding the continent’s past if different branches of researchers come together and combine their research. Tsodilo Hills is one of these rock art sites that holds knowledge about the continent’s rich past, and specifically the groups of the more southern regions of Africa. The Hills span across the Kalahari Desert, and offer insight into the historical and cultural background of the area that is often …show more content…
Much of the art, if not all of the art, is just figures rather than stories. Usually seen are depictions of animals or some kind of spiritual figure. Much of the art is “outlined schematic designs and geometrical patterns” (Botswana Tourism). Perhaps this is so because it represented their view of life. The “western” way of viewing life is much different than that of many African tribes. In the western world, life is viewed as linear –– A happens, then B, then C, and so on until death. This is not so much how life is viewed in other cultures. In many African cultures, life is viewed as cyclical; furthermore, life begins, you live your life, and once you die, a new life begins. This may have translated into the art work as we do not see linear scenes, rather just pieces of life.. Finding religious significance is important when trying to understand the culture. The majority of the people of Africa belong to a religion. The two largest religions in the continent are Christianity and Islam. Religious practice is important to the people of Africa, and we see historically this has almost always been the truth. Much of the art shows depictions of sacred figures and other religious or holy figures. People of the area believe the Hills to be sacred. The people of the area believe that their god, Nyambe, placed the tribe and their livestock onto the Female Hill. Their proof for this