Rock art is a term in archaeology for any man-made markings made on natural
stone. These can be described as etchings into stone surfaces, rock and
cave paintings and scattered man made artefacts and implements.
The etchings and painted works are usually found on the walls of a caves
or rock shelters, open-air scenes frequented by humanities and exposed natural
outcrops or monument-based which are made on stones consciously deposited.
Southern and East Africa is well endowed with numerous treasures and
reminders which trace the advent of modern man. Many hunter gatherers
have roamed the wildlife rich plains and have subsisted until recent times.
Customarily, individual markings are called motifs and collections of
motifs and recognized as panels. A series of panels are identified as
archaeological sites. This method of classifying rock art however has
become less fashionable as the structure imposed is unlikely to have had
any relevance to the art's creators.
Even the word 'art' carries with it many modern prejudices about the
purpose of the features. Rock art can be found across a wide geographical
and temporal spread of traditions perhaps to mark territory, to record
historical events or stories or to help re-enact rituals. Some art seems
to illustrate real events whilst many other examples are actually wholly
abstract.
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