Want full access?
Have an account? Login
In Thamathu, a small village in Lesotho, huts of stone with thatched roofs and fields of wheat and corn lie on the edge of a vast African expanse.
Chris Westphal, foreground, rides on the trail through Lesotho with his guide, Steve Black. Riding with them are Anna Burn and Cecily Totten.
Some 35,000 to 40,000 individual Bushman paintings have been discovered in some 500 cave sites in the area. The Bushmen are believed to have inhabited the region from 40,000 to 100,000 years ago, disappearing some 300 years ago. Exact dating of the paintings has proved difficult, but they are estimated to be 2,000 to 3,500 years old. Photo by Chris Westphal NOTE: In the text, the bushman painting is described as 4,000 years old. This should be attributed to Steve Black, my guide though not an archaeologist, it's true. Apparently the age of the paintings is difficult to determine; anywhere from 2,400 to 3,400 years old, Wikipedia says. If you want me to modify that portion, I will, but I'm fine leaving it up to you. thanks, Chris
Typical Lesotho Rondavels: Built of stone, using mud as mortar and thatched with dried wheat stalks, these rondavels are typical dwellings in the area. Photo by Chris Westphal.
The tall peaks above, shrouded in clouds and about 10,000 feet in elevation, are known locally in Lesotho as The Three Bushmen. Below left is an example of a Bushman rock painting, of which there are more than 35,000 in about 500 cave sites in Lesotho. Seen below right are typical Lesotho rondavels, dwellings built of stone, using mud as mortar and thatched with dried wheat stalks.