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The Trek to Game Pass Shelter | ||
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Our guide was Frans Prins - a graduate of Pietermaritzburg University where he holds the chair in archaeology - a passion which he shares with anthropology. A lot of 'ologies' you may think, but Frans is an enthusiastic teacher with a talent to inspire his pupils. The day started, unusually, in the house of a local tribal chief who proudly traced his ancestry back to the San peoples. From there to an information centre at the foot of the mountain that we were about to ascend. | ||||
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THE BULL | From the information centre (at about 1100 metres above sea level) we started on our long trek, traversing vertiginous paths, facing down a troop of disgruntled baboons and even passing through a small waterfall - like a scene from King Solomon's Mines. After an hour and a half of solid, head-down walking we reached our cave/shelter near the very top of the mountain - about 1900 metres high. Any hint of weariness was immediately dispelled as we came face to face with a panorama of exquisite rock-paintings which appeared to be as fresh and vibrant as the day they were created. The bull above, for instance, seems almost to move, so compelling is the image. This particular location is known for the delicacy of the work and is rare in that the figures are painted in tones that lend depth to the subject. From our vantage point high above a fertile valley we could imagine the nomadic life of the San tribesmen and the cattle raids which occurred within living memory. Click on to the next page - THE HERD | |||
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