Cave Paintings In Lesotho

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32020, 21 June 1969, Page 5

Cave Paintings In Lesotho

(By KtHMtTH MtnOfTT) Among the historical remains of Lesotho—the former Basutoland in southern Africa, is a great wealth of rock paintings. Along the sandstone cliffs, several thousand paintings have been found. Many more are probably waiting to be discovered. Ranging in size from only half an inch to five feet in length, the paintings depict people and animals. They show the culture and possessions of a primitive hunting people. Although the age of the paintings has not yet been established beyond doubt, it

hundreds of miles from Lesotho. There, and in neighbouring South West Africa, they still load a nomadie existence in small independent groups, with an economy based on hunting and food gathering, a similar sort of life to that depicted in the rock paintings. Certainly the Bushmen artists put plenty of movement and action into their work, as can be seen from a set of seven stamps issued on November 1, 1968, which reproduce some of their paintings. The 10c value, illustrated here, shows a group of native archers, and to this day the Bushmen still go hunting with bows and poisoned arrows. Other hunting scenes are seen on further stamps of the set.

Of great Interest to archaeologists, the rock paintings ere seriously threatened by the weathering of the rock surfaces, as well as by vandalism. ■

The stamps have been issued on the occasion of the opening to the public of one of the most important sites. Ha Khotso, in the Maseru'district— with the unusual purpose of drawing attention to the importance of these artistic remnants of a vanished culture, and of encouraging their protection and preservation.