Art is the signature of civilization.
Beverly Sills
Rock paintings and engravings represent Africa’s oldest continuously practiced art form. Depictions of graceful human figures, vibrantly colored animals, and therianthropes—figures blending human and animal traits often linked to shamanism—continue to amaze with their sophistication, vitality, and bold forms. Although the images may seem universal, their content and style vary greatly across the African continent.
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Not all rock art is prehistoric. In some regions, these artistic traditions thrived into the late nineteenth century, while in others, they are still practiced today. In South Africa’s Drakensberg Mountains, for example, numerous paintings depict encounters between the indigenous San (Bushmen) people and European colonists, who are shown on horseback and armed with rifles. Many of the Drakensberg paintings utilize subtle polychrome shading, giving their subjects a sense of three-dimensionality. Created by many artists from different cultures and eras, the flowing naturalism and dynamic movement of the finest rock art reflect the skill and vision of masterful creators.
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Author: mediastaff
- African History
- African Rock Art
- ancient art
- Animal Art
- Archaeological Art
- Art
- Bold Forms
- Cave Paintings
- Continent-Wide Art
- cultural heritage
- Design
- Diverse Styles
- Early Human Expression.
- Engravings
- Historical Depictions
- Human Figures
- Indigenous Art
- Prehistoric Art
- Shamanic Art
- Therianthropes
- timeless art
- Travel
- Vital Art
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