Jumping man with spear, Sevilla Rock Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Last week my fiance and I spent a few days in the Cederberg Mountains, a couple of hours drive north of Cape Town, South Africa. One day we drove from our cabin in Citrusdal to the town of Clanwilliam and then a little farther up the R364 to a little place called “Traveller’s Rest.” After buying permits, obtaining a map and guidebook, and eating a tasty lunch (only 25 rand, just under $4 US at the current exchange rate) at the Khoisan Kitchen, we set out on a self-guided hike along the Sevilla Rock Art Trail. 

Delicious lunch at the Khoisan Kitchen, South Africa, May 2011.

The trail is only 4km long, and the hiking is flat and easy. However, we spent an entire afternoon slowly walking along the trail and marveling at hundreds of rock art paintings. These paintings were made by the San people hundreds to thousands of years ago. In South Africa “San” is now the favored, politcally correct term used for the bushmen people.

Interpretation of the rock paintings is tricky since the San have no written language. Some of the more fantastical paintings are likely associated with “trance states” and San religious customs. Some of the paintings may simply be scenes of everyday San life. The meaning of many paintings is lost forever.

Most of the paintings are monotone– red or brown or white or black, though some of the black is actually lichen that is attracted to the paint and in the process of destroying the paintings through biological weathering. However, there are some polychrome paintings, and many of the paintings seem to have parts missing– perhaps these paintings once were done in two or more colors, but only one color has survived because one type of paint was more resistant to weathering. For instance, animals sometimes lack heads and legs (which may have been drawn in a different color), and the “hook headed” people may have had faces drawn in a different color. Often, it is difficult to tell if the omissions are from differential weathering or if they are a purposeful part of the artwork.

You might be familiar with the controversial but classic portrayal of the San people in the 1980 film “The Gods Must Be Crazy,” which is a comedy about the interactions between a bumbling biologist researcher, a schoolteacher, a band of guerilla revolutionaries, and Xi– a San/Bushman who (in the movie) has never seen white people before meeting the biologist and the schoolteacher. Xi assumes these mysterious, large, white Afrikaaners must be gods, and he is befuddled by their strange ways. Xi is also upset that the “gods” will not take back a glass coca-cola bottle which fell from the sky (from an airplane). This bottle had caused trouble when his tribe members fought over the bottle (useful as a tool), which they believed was sent as a gift from the gods.

As a quick aside, I recently discovered that “The Gods Must Be Crazy” was originally an Afrikaans movie. For release overseas, the movie was dubbed with English voices. I noticed that the voices in the movie were a bit strange, but for some reason I never realized the movie was originally in Afrikaans. I am now on a quest to obtain a copy of the movie in the original Afrikaans, a language I am currently trying to learn (albeit slowly in the midst of finishing up my thesis).

Below are some pictures of our recent hike down the Sevilla Rock Art Trail and some of the many, many paintings there. If you are ever in the Cederberg area, I highly recommend visiting the trail. The trail is a bit off the usual tourist path and is peaceful, relaxing, and fascinating. We were the only visitors the afternoon we hiked the trail. If the day is warm, you can even take a refreshing swim in the Brandewyn River.
 
Here are a couple of maps giving you an idea of where the town of Clanwilliam (B) is relative to Cape Town (A):

The ~2-3 hour drive from Cape Town to Clanwilliam. Click map to enlarge.

A closer view of Clanwilliam. Traveller’s Rest is up the R364. Click map to enlarge.

And here are some pictures:

Khoisan Kitchen and the Brandewyn River, South Africa, May 2011.

Chillin’ with some rock art, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

I think this is a cat, but my fiance thinks it’s a baboon, and the guidebook thinks it’s a fox, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Monsters?, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Many of the best paintings are found in caves and underneath boulders; perhaps these ones survived weathering best, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Looking for paintings under another overhang, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011

Coarse, pebbly sandstone— the canvas, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Buck of some sort?, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Black figures, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Baby zebra, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

A closer look at the baby zebra, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Yet another look at the baby zebra (it’s so cute I think I need three pictures), Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

This overhang is covered in rock art, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

A closer look at part of the overhang, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Archer, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Some well-endowed ladies, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Bringing home a feast, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Travelling man, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Anteater?, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Hands, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

San landscape, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

The trail, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Giraffe and man, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Posing with the giraffe painting (look carefully on the wall above me), Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Elephant!, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Two elephants!, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Rainfall on a painting. The paintings stand out when wet, but you shouldn’t wet a painting to photograph it because this wears down the painting. Many paintings have been destroyed by early, eager photographers with bottles of water. Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Cattle?, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

More elephants?, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

Two sexy ladies, Sevilla Rock Art Trail, South Africa, May 2011.

My fiance’s idea of a “shortcut” back to the Khoisan Kitchen, South Africa, May 2011.

Me, less than thrilled with the “shortcut” but interested in the potholes, South Africa, May 2011.

More impressive potholes in sandstone, South Africa, May 2011.

Beautiful Brandewyn River, South Africa, May 2011.

The view on the drive back to Citrusdal, South Africa, May 2011.