




The
rock paintings at Avondzon, like some other places in the region, were painted
by the bushmen, sometimes called San people, hundreds of years ago. Many
thin people of various sizes, wearing mostly black cloaks, together with
animals, have been depicted in mainly red colors, in the shallow cave at the
foot of the cliff.
The reason, why so many pictures have been made in just this cave on
the estate, is not clear. Probably the cave was a sacred place and the
paintings display religious rituals, important occasions or serve as a
protection against evil spirits.
Only
in a few other places at Avondzon some small rock paintings have been found as
well.
The presence of the so called 'rain animals' as eland and hippopotamus
like animals, one of which is even held by the tail by one of the figures,
suggests the work of medicine men or shamans as rainmakers in this dry
area of the country.
In the center of the scene, a number of people are dancing with their arms
thrust towards the sky and their knees bent.
These attitudes are usually
associated with the trance dance.
Some others are crouching on the floor with their arms stretched backwards.
More
information about the rock paintings in South Africa are found in the books:
"When animals were people" by H.C. Woodhouse (1984)
"Images of power" by D. Lewis-Williams and T. Dowson (1989)