Sharing our ancient rock art treasures

An exhibition featuring rock art from four countries – South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana and Mexico – will be open to the public at the Origins Centre from October 28, 2011, through until January 29, 2012.

The exhibition, entitled Sharing our Ancient Rock Art Treasures, will highlight some of the most important rock art sites, and showcase important local community rock art tourism developments. It is part of an international collaboration between the four countries, which includes sharing of expertise in rock art tourism, management, conservation and interpretive research.

Many of the treasures illustrated will be on international public display for the first time. All are owned and managed by local communities and are providing income and job opportunities.

Siyakha Mguni, the exhibition organiser and project coordinator at the Rock Art Research Institute (RARI) at Wits, explains: “While many rock art sites are on private land and thus inaccessible to the general public, all the sites featured in this exhibition are community run and open to tourists. The sites play an important role in the development of local economies and in rural tourism sustainability. Because these sites provide income and pride to local communities, their long-term preservation is enhanced.

“I encourage visitors to this exhibition to use this unique opportunity as a springboard for further exploration of the richness of ancient South Africa. Travel through our serene landscapes and see rock art sites in their original environments. At the same time you will be contributing to local job creation, economic development and cultural preservation.”

A pictorial feast, the exhibition features astonishing new images of South African and Botswanan rock art by photographer Kevin Crause, who was commissioned to prepare a set of images to change international perceptions of the importance of rock art. Other images displayed are from RARI’s world-renowned digital library, the South African Rock Art Digital Archive and from the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia in Mexico.

The exhibition is the brainchild of South Africa’s Department of Arts and Culture, which aims to transform local and international perceptions about pre-colonial South African heritage. It will also emphasise the fact that South Africa is the international research leader in this field of study.

Said Minister of Arts and Culture Paul Mashatile at the launch of the exhibition, “Indeed the exhibition we are launching today will go a long way in strengthening the agenda of promoting South-South relations as well relations among countries in the SADC region. Today, through this launch, we are demonstrating that because of our common heritage we share a common destiny. For us as African countries this collaboration seeks to reaffirm that Africa is the place where art began and that it is from Africa that ancient forms of civilisation originate.”

The exhibition is open seven days a week, from 9am until 5pm, with the exception of the period between Christmas and New Year. Four Saturday morning walkabouts, led by rock art authorities, will be held at 10am on November 12 and 26, as well as on December 10 and January 14.

Visitors to the Origins Centre who wish to see the exhibition only will be charged R45 per person. Entry to tour the entire museum, including a viewing of Sharing our Ancient Rock Art Treasures, costs R75 per person. Participation in the Saturday morning walkabouts will cost R50 a head.

Sources: Origins.org.za and dac.gov.za

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