This paper discusses and (mainly) illustrates five rock art sites – all with pictographs – near Modderpoort in South Africa. It is also attempted to put the rock art in the proper cultural context with an emphasis on shamanism. All sites are on private land, so please ask permission to visit these sites well in advance.

By Maarten van Hoek

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Pictographs in the Modderpoort Area

South Africa

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Introduction

In 2003 my wife and I visited South Africa in order to explore some of the hundreds of rock art sites in that country. First we surveyed the area around Kimberley, expertly guided by David Morris of the McGregor Museum at Kimberley. We visited eleven sites; all comprising petroglyphs (Van Hoek 2026). Later we travelled east to explore some of the pictograph sites around Modderpoort and Clarens. This study offers an impression of the five pictograph sites that we were permitted to explore near Modderpoort (Figure 1), expertly guided to those sites by Jan Oberholzer or Charles Lange. It is not attempted here to write a full scientific inventory of each site, nor to pretend that I will present or can interpret every individual image. Because the decorated panels were often in the shade, and because in general the painted images are rather small (and often [much] weathered and faded) it proved to be necessary to digitally enhance all photographs presented in this study. Therefore, the colours may differ from the original colours. Where possible measurements and bearings will be mentioned.

Figure 1. The location of the five pictograph sites that will be briefly discussed and illustrated in this study. 1: Modderpoort (at 1687 masl); 2: Orangesprings (at 1680 masl); 3: Oldenburg (at 1757 masl); 4: Bultje (at 1868 masl) and finally 5: Tandjesberg (at 1625 masl; and about 13 km east of Modderpoort). Map © by Maarten van Hoek, (altitudes) based on Google Earth (2026).

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1: Modderpoort

An explanation for the often Dutch site names is not always available. Modderpoort (literally translated “MudGate”) might – in my opinion – refer to the possible ancient lake WSW of the site of Modderpoort (see Figure 1) that drained its (muddy?) waters via a gap in the surrounding cliffs, overlooked by the rock art site at Modderpoort; involving a single panel with pictographs of mainly eland (two butting), some human figures and unidentifiable images (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Much blurred pictographs at Modderpoort. Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek; drawing © by Maarten van Hoek, based on the drawing by Sven Ouzman (Rock Art Department; National Museum; in: Lewis-Williams and Blundell 1998: 127) only showing the quadrupeds (A: the location of some human figures; see the photo).

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2: Orangesprings

The large sandstone shelter at Orangesprings is located on private land and permission to visit the site must be applied for well in advance. Fortunately it is hardly vandalised. The site is found at a long, SE projecting sandstone ridge (see Figure 4) that has a large but shallow rock shelter (Figure 3) that faces SW. The decorated panels include some of the most interesting pictograph collections in the Modderpoort area. The overhang and the lush vegetation directly in front of the rock shelter shelters the sunlight, hindering photography. As we did not want to use flash-light (this may be harmful to the rock paintings) all photographs had to be digitally enhanced.

Figure 3. The SE part of the rock shelter at Orangesprings, featuring my wife Elles who unintentionally serves as a kind (of) scale. Photograph © by Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 4. Orangesprings. Photograph © by Maarten van Hoek.

At Orangesprings there are numerous images in various colours of animals (mainly eland and antelope) and especially a lot of human figures, both male and female. Many images are in rather good conditions, but several are faded and weathered and some are almost impossible to see. For that reason, a specific and very informative scene on the wall is often illustrated incomplete in  some publications, for instance in a paper by Thomas Dowson (1994: Fig. 2) (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Photograph of the “Trance-Dance” at Orangesprings. Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek. Drawing of the better visible pictographs at Orangesprings. Drawing © by Maarten van Hoek, based on the B&W drawing by Thomas Dowson (1994: Fig. 2), which, however does not show all pictographs on this part of the panel. See also Figure 7.

One of the most interesting scenes at Orangesprings concerns the so-called “Trance-Dance” (Dowson 1994: Fig. 2) involving a group of five persons (most likely shamans) that walk around, bent-over and apparently walking with sticks (brown in Figure 5). The group is accompanied by groups of persons (probably all women) that are clapping in their hands, thus producing a rhythmic sound. Two smaller figures are sitting near the walking figures. What is almost invisible in (only) the photo is a similarly sitting figure (it is located between the left-most dancer [6 cm in height] and the first woman clapping her hands [8 cm in height]). The large sitting figure is so much faded that it may escape casual visitors and experienced rock art researchers alike (this sometimes happens as well at other sites near Modderpoort).

This very detailed scene of a “Trance-Dance” features a large number of women and five shamans. It clearly depicts one of the two types of “Trance-Dance” still practiced by the Kalahari San. The first type involves women sitting around a central fire singing and clapping while the men and an occasional woman dance in a circle around them. The second type, depicted here at Orangesprings, features shamans who dance in the centre, while the women stand in a circle around them, clapping and singing. Note the sitting human figure bending forwards and with arms/hands in a praying position, which may be related to the “hand-to-nose” gesture; another position of a shaman in trance (similar to the almost invisible figure in the photo of Figure 5).

Figure 6. A less crowded example of a “Trance-Dance” at Orangesprings. Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 7. A procession of women at Orangesprings carrying sticks. The “Trance-Dance” of Figure 5 is visible at the far left. Note the different colours of the two groups of women (who are often drawn with prominent buttocks). Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 8. Four couples of probably males, carrying short sticks. Some are clearly depicted with a nosebleed (the short lines indicated by the white arrow). Note the much elongated upper legs, the exaggerated calves of the larger figures (the one indicated in the detail photo is only 18 cm in height), and the blurred row of smaller figures to the right of the larger figures. Nasal bleedings, elongated upper legs and exaggerated calves point to experiences during trances by San shamans. Photographs © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 9. In the centre are three women in a row, the one at the front (only 7 cm high) is clearly carrying a so-called “digging stick” (the two other women may also carry a “digging stick”). The round object on the stick is a bored stone ball that serves as a weight for more efficient digging. To the left is s group of more faded figures (two crouching) the largest figure upholding a horizontal object to which two even more faded figures seem to be attached. At the top of the panel is a small, 4 cm long figure (a shaman?), while at the bottom are at least four quadrupeds, and a human showing the “hand-to-nose” gesture (green arrow) indicative of a possible nasal bleeding during the trance of a shaman. Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 10. Panel (and detail) showing several seemingly headless eland, but the heads were painted in white, a colour that easily fades-off. Note the several images of humans superimposed on or by the two eland in a row (they might be butting), while just below the left-hand eland is a human figure who is awkwardly bending over, possibly depicting a shaman in trance (only 6 cm in width). Photographs © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 11. Detail showing a large eland (about 66 cm from nose to tail) with an outlined head (that probably was once filled with white paint (now faded-off). Note the several human figures, some superimposed upon or by the large eland. Those humans have been painted in red or in white. There are running figures and one larger figure with its legs crossed. Just below the dewlap of the eland is an enigmatic (human?) figure possibly depicting a (two-headed?) therianthrope wearing a long garment and carrying unrecognisable paraphernalia (comparable with pictographs of therianthropes at Schaapplaats near Clarens), while just to the right of the tail of the eland is a curiously long (human?) figure, diagonally arranged. Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 12. A few pictographs at Orangesprings are exceptional because they seem to have been drawn in outline (although internal white paint may have disappeared). Most of them are hard to see because of superimposition, but one example is better visible. It concerns the long female figure (about 23 cm tall). She is walking to the right and she seems to be following (herding?) the animal in front of her. Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

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3: Oldenburg

The rock paintings at Oldenburg are found in a small rock shelter (with a small cave) at the bottom of a large isolated boulder (the shelter hidden by the vegetation in Figure 13). To protect the paintings the site has been fenced in and is locked. The key is available at the reception of the estate, but arrangements to visit the site should be well made in advance, as it is not a site with public access. We did not take measurements, but dominating the panel in Figure 14 is a very large polychrome eland hovering over several human figures. This time the white-painted head is clearly visible (an exception).

Figure 13. The large boulder at the site of Oldenburg. Photograph © by Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 14. Part of the large panel at Oldenburg featuring the large eland and some smaller quadrupeds (some superimposed by human figures), as well as a chaos of human figures in many differing positions, like the apparently sitting figures at the right end of the photo and some possibly running figures. Remarkable are the figures that have been painted in a yellow colour (a rather unusual colour at this site). Many figures have also faded. The panel continues to the right, part of which is shown in Figure 15.  Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 15. Continuation of the large panel at Oldenburg featuring three large eland.  Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 16. Continuation of the large panel at Oldenburg featuring a large eland.  Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 17. Another part of the panel at Oldenburg featuring several humans and animals (one of which is an antelope painted in yellow).  Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

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4: Bultje

This site actually had no name when my wife Elles and I visited the Modderpoort area, at least our guide – archaeologist Jan Oberholzer – could not help us with a name. Because the site is visible from many kilometres further east as a small lump, I decided to invent the name of “Bultje”, the Dutch word for a small protuberance. However, “Bultje” is not at all small. Figure 18 shows the site from above. The rocky outcrop roughly measures 100 meters across.

Figure 18. The rock art site of “Bultje” from above. The orange dot approximately indicates the position of the pictograph(s). Map © by Maarten van Hoek, based on Google Earth.

Figure 19. The rock art site of “Bultje” viewed from the south. The orange dot approximately indicates the position of the pictograph(s). The silhouette is archaeologist Jan Oberholzer, who serves as an indication of the height of “Bultje”. Photograph © by Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 20. The single rock art panel at “Bultje”, showing at least one (headless?) image of a (red-painted) quadruped (an elephant?) and possibly a much fainter yellow or orange pictograph to the left (arrow). Photograph © by Maarten van Hoek.

Jan (who fluently speaks Sosotho [or Sotho], the language of the Basotho, the people once living in Lesotho) informed us that the ancient San sharpened their arrowheads at this spot; the markings still clearly visible today. “Bultje” is the highest point of the Modderpoort area, still  used (situation 2003) for a large bonfire at Newyear’s Eve, set on fire by the Basotho to announce the New Year. The fire is visible for may kilometres around.

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5: Tandjesberg

This sandstone shelter east of Modderpoort still has – despite its small size – more than 530 pictographs, many most confusingly superimposed upon each other (one panel has even eleven layers of pictographs). The site was severely damaged by a run-away veld fire in 1998. However, in 2001 the site was re-opened after a period of intensive restoration. The site was fenced in in 1972 and because of all these protective measurements there is very little vandalism. Access to Tandjesberg is via Tripolitania farm (located about 13 km east of Modderpoort), where the Liguori family (situation 2003) keep the visitor’s book and the key to the site. The site is called “Tandjesberg” because – when approaching the site from the SW – the serrated ridge (“berg”) looks like a lower jaw with teeth (“tandjes”). Of course it is completely obscure how the ancient San called the site.

Figure 21. View of Tandjesberg from the SW. The exact location of the painted panels could not be marked in the photo. Photograph © by Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 22. One of the most interesting panels at Tandjesberg, showing a row of three bird-like, multi-coloured images (looking to the left); two larger bird-like-images (looking to the right) and two vertically arranged pictographs that could depict fish. Near this group are several very faint traces of pictographs. Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 23. One of the panels at Tandjesberg that shows multiple layers of pictograph production. Centrally placed is a large eland (or perhaps two examples intermingled?). Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 24. A very colourful panel at Tandjesberg, again showing multiple layers of pictograph production and images manufactured in different colours. Again, the collection is most confusing and chaotic. Note the large anthropomorphic figure (or is it an amalgamation of an eland [it seems to have a tail] and a human?), bending over and superimposed upon a white pictograph (of an eland?). Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 25.  Part of a panel with two prominent female figures that are bending forward. One figure holds a stick with a bored stone (red arrow); a digging stick, only used by San women. Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 26.  Continuation downwards of the same panel, showing apparently “sitting” figures. Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 27.  Panel at Tandjesberg, showing three “strange” zoomorphic images. They may represent cattle (with a deformed, long head?) or mythical animals, like rain-animals.  Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 28.  Panel at Tandjesberg, showing a chaos of zoomorphic and anthropomorphic images, painted with different colours.  Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 29.  Panel at Tandjesberg, showing again a chaos of zoomorphic and anthropomorphic images.  Photograph © by Elles or Maarten van Hoek.

Figure 30.  Some of the pictographs at Tandjesberg, a few discussed in the text below. Photographs (low-quality digital video camera pictures) © by Maarten van Hoek.

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Observations

Having surveyed only an extremely small fraction of the pictograph art of South Africa (just ten sites with rock paintings, of which five in the Modderpoort area), I realise that it is impossible for me to fully explain the meaning of all the pictographs of the Modderpoort area. Not only because our surveys yielded an incomplete picture, it is also impossible for me to take into account the enormous quantity of related pictographs and petroglyphs recorded in the rest of southern Africa (much may have changed since 2003). On top of that, there have been published numerous studies dealing with many of the often very complex issues regarding interpretation and explanation of southern Africa’s rock art. All this makes it unrealistic to pretend to be able to correctly discuss every aspect of the rock art images shown in this presentation.

Therefore, I will now only discuss certain aspects of San rock art (which dates from at least 12.000 B.C. onwards) that surfaced from the pictographs that my wife and I have seen in the Modderpoort area. Much further information (often well documented) may be obtained from the publications by other rock art researchers specialising in San rock art and San worldview.

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Aspects of San Worldview

To start with, archaeologist Sven Ouzman once wrote (2001: 245) that San aesthetic was such that they did not consider San rock art images to be just images or representations. Rather, the images were the Spirit-World-Animals and Beings surfacing through of the rock surface; the “veil” between the Ordinary World and the Spirit Worlds. This means that where we, western-minded observers, just see an eland (the animal), the San saw much more than just an animal. Yet, even then not every image can be explained (for instance the rayed amorphous pattern [an abstract?] to the right of the anthropomorph in Figure 30G is enigmatic to me. Is it a shaman’s bag perhaps?), even when there is (fortunately) much informed knowledge provided by the members of the still living San groups. However, what is most obvious in San worldview is that in San groups the role of the Shaman (a part-time practicer; not per-se a person of higher status) was of paramount importance. He or she was the only person who could “travel” between the Three Realms.

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The Three Realms

Most important in San worldview is the belief in the existence of the Three Realms. In a most interesting and very informative article, Sven Ouzman describes the Three Realms as follows (2001: 238; text slightly adapted by me): “…. numerous San societies perceived the external world as consisting of at least three interdigitating or connected worlds, which could be subdivided … into … the upper and lower world … which constituted the extra-ordinary Spirit World. The middle world approximated the Ordinary World in which ‘normal’ people physically dwelt”. Importantly, Ouzman further argues that “The boundaries between these three worlds were considered membranous and context-contingent so that the Spirit World was everywhere immanent”.

Earlier this “membrane” was also described by Lewis-Williams and Dowson (1990) as the “veil” between the Ordinary World and the Spirit Worlds. Thus, water-surfaces and rock surfaces were considered to offer entrances to the Spirit Worlds. With regard to rock art, San shamans could also enter the Spirit Worlds “simply” by touching stone surfaces (Ouzman 2001: 244) and/or through the creation of petroglyphs (producing sound!) or pictographs and – later – touching the decorated rock surface. Indeed, also sound plays an important role in San societies and in shamanistic activities (Ouzman 2001: 244-248). Moreover, rock art images sometimes were frequently drawn in such a way that they (the animals) seem to be entering or leaving the Spirit World. For instance, at Ntlo Kholo in NW Lesotho pictographs of eland seem to be entering the Spirit World through a crack.

In San worldview the human head is also very important, especially the (hardly ever depicted) nose. In this respect it may be significant that the /Xam-San word for “nose” simultaneously indicates “a shaman’s ability to enter the Spirit World”, through dance and trance (Lewis-Williams and Blundell 1998: 17). Especially in San pictographs nasal bleedings (see the white and green arrows in Figure 8) often play an important role as visual markers of specific shamanic experiences (Lewis-Williams and Blundell 1998: 106 – 107). Such haemorrhages are indicated by finely painted, short lines emanating directly from the nose (even when the nose has not been drawn), and – importantly – also by the “hand-to-nose” gesture (see Figures 5 and 8 [green arrow]), which was meant to induce the haemorrhage or to collect nasal blood.

In the Modderpoort area especially the site of Orangesprings unambiguously illustrates shamanic rituals and practices. Most informative are the two scenes depicting a “Trance-Dance” (see Figures 5 and 6) and the row of humans in Figure 8. In the “Trance-Dance” of Figure 5 there are two groups of women clapping with splayed hands; a squatted figure that may have a nasal bleeding (although the “hand-to-nose” gesture is not that clear); while the uppermost shaman in Figure 5 (12 cm in length) seems to be floating during trance. All five shamans, wearing shamans’ eared caps, are bending over and seem to have to use sticks to be able to continue their “Trance-Dance”. An almost invisible, much larger human figure in the centre is bending over, the hand raised to the nose, an indication of a possible nasal bleeding. This very faint figure (not included by Thomas Dowson in his drawing [see Figure 5]) has been superimposed by clearer and smaller figures. This case of superimposition may indicate a lapse in time.

The San were groups of hunters and gatherers. Hunting was traditionally the responsibility of the male members of the group; gathering was done by women (often working with the characteristic digging stick; see for instance Figures 25 and 30D). Taking into account that hunting was of vital importance for the ancient San, it is remarkable that – as far as I know –  no representations of hunting scenes have been recorded in the pictograph art of the Modderpoort area. Only some images at Tandjesberg may depict humans with (bow and) arrow (see Figures 30F and H). Regarding their arrows I have a captivating question. Why did male San individuals or groups take the trouble to go up to the site of “Bultje” ( a spot visible from many kilometres around) to sharpen their arrowheads there, while that practice could be done anywhere at lower level? It may indicate that sharpening their arrowheads was also a ritual that had to take place at a very special Sacred Spot. It is possible that in this way the potency of this Sacred Spot could be harvested. The fact that only one (perhaps two) pictograph(s) have been recorded so far (2003) at “Bultje”, may be due to the very rough nature of the stone surfaces available at the outcrop knoll.

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Acknowledgements

I owe a debt of gratitude to several people for helping us with preparing this Modderpoort project. Foremost to my wife Elles for – as ever – assisting me with the fieldwork at the rock art sites that we visited in southern Africa, and – of course – for her ongoing support at home. The following people  have helped me in many ways. If I have omitted anyone, please forgive my error and please accept an overall acknowledgement. We are grateful to archaeologist Gabriel Thlapi working (situation 2003) at The National Museum in Bloemfontein who informed us about several rock art sites in the Bloemfontein area and in the Modderpoort region. He showed us around the many displays of the museum and especially advised us to visit Orangesprings. We are also indebted to Charles and Bernadette Lange of Modderpoort Priory for great accommodation and warm hospitality. Charles informed us how to get to the Modderpoort pictographs and escorted us (for a second time) to Orangesprings. We also enjoyed to be assisted by Jan Oberholzer (arranged by Charles), who guided us to the pictograph sites of Orangesprings, Oldenburg, Tandjesberg and “Bultje”. Jan also provided us with useful information about those rock art sites.

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References

Dowson, T. A. 1994. Reading art, writing history: rock art and social change in southern Africa. World Archaeology. Vol. 25-3; pp. 332 – 344. Routledge.

Ouzman, S. 2001. Seeing is deceiving: rock art and the non-visual. World Archaeology. Vol. 33-2; pp. 237 – 256.

Lewis-Williams, J. D. and G. Blundell. 1998. Fragile Heritage; a rock art field guide. Witwatersrand University Press, Johannesburg.

Lewis-Williams, J. D. and T. A. Dowson. 1990. Through the veil: San rock paintings and the rock face. South African Archaeological Bulletin. Vol. 45; pp. 5 – 16. Witwatersrand, South Africa.

Van Hoek, M. 2026. Petroglyph Sites around Kimberley, South Africa: An Overview. Oisterwijk, Holland. Book (119 pages; 224 illustrations) available as PDF at Academia or DropBox.