“In recent
years, archaeological research has increasingly begun to involve bearers of
indigenous knowledge, particularly in ichnology, the science of tracks. Some of
this research has analyzed, in much greater detail than had been accessible via
the archaeological methods implemented hitherto, Pleistocene footprints
preserved in caves in France that were in use during the Upper Paleolithic. We
consider the undisputed skills and knowledge of indigenous hunters in tracking
animals and humans equally successfully as a methodological toolkit with
promising potential for other, related archaeological sources.” (Lenssen-Erz et
al. 2023)
An indigenous or traditional hunter/gatherer possesses enough detailed knowledge of all the elements of his/her environment to be able to not only identify animals by their tracks, but to make judgements about their size, condition, gender and health by analyzing their tracks. It stands to reason then, that these same experts should be able to analyze representations of animal tracks in a rock art panel, identify the animals they represent, and thus provide data about the prehistoric ecology of that area. This is exactly what was done in a recent study in Namibia.
“Namibia is rich in hunter-gatherer rock art from the Later Stone Age (LSA); this is a tradition of which well-executed engravings of animal tracks in large numbers are characteristic. Research into rock art usually groups these motifs together with geometric signs; at best, therefore, it may provide summary lists of them. To date, the field has completely disregarded the fact that tracks and trackways are a rich medium of information for hunter-gatherers, alongside their deeper, culture-specific connotations. A recent research project, from which this article has emerged, has attempted to fill this research gap; it entailed indigenous tracking experts from the Kalahari analyzing engraved animal tracks and human footprints in a rock art region in central Western Namibia, the Doro! nawas Mountains, which is the site of recently discovered rock art. The experts were able to define the species, sex, age group and exact leg of the specific animal or human depicted in more than 90% of the engravings they analyzed (N = 513). Their work further demonstrates that the variety of fauna is much richer in engraved tracks than in depictions of animals in the same engraving tradition. The analyses reveal patterns that evidently arise from culturally determined preferences. The study represents further confirmation that indigenous knowledge, with its profound insights into a range of particular fields, has the capacity to considerably advance archaeological research.” (Lenssen-Erz et al. 2023)
Rock art panels with animal and human tracks were chosen for analysis by the expert trackers. “The sites examined in this study are situated in the Doro! nawas mountains of Namibia. We chose them primarily for their abundance of track engravings on single panels. In an isolated, crater-like basin 11 km west of /Ui//aes-Twyfelfontein, two out of six rock art sites feature such panels. Sites RAS 6 and RAS 8 as numbered by Frankfurt Goethe University’s research project] are accumulations of sandstone boulders some 250 m from each other, both located on terraces of the basin’s steep south-eastern slope at roughly 800 m asl, while the bottom of the basin sits at 620 m asl.” (Lenssen-Erz et al. 2023)
“For this study, we engaged three indigenous tracking experts, Tsamgao Ciqae, /Ui Kxunta and Thui Thao; they had previously worked on the Tracking in Caves project, but also as professional trackers for commercial hunting. The research at the sites selected for this study, RAS 6 and RAS 8, took place from 18 to 20 September 2018.” (Lenssen-Erz et al. 2023) These indigenous consultant/analysts from the Kalahari not only had extensive experience tracking animals professionally, they had previous experience analyzing animal tracks in rock art in the aforementioned Tracking in Caves project.
Frequently depicted animal tracks.
The results of this consultation are surprisingly positive. “Among the 513 tracks analysed in total, the experts identified 345 quadrupeds and 62 bird tracks (407 in total from 40 different species; Rhinoceros sp. is listed as a taxon, but not counted as a separate species). We divide these into a group of ’frequently’ depicted species (10 depictions or more), a second group of ‘less frequently’ depicted species (between 3 and 9 depictions), and a group of ’rarely’ depicted species (one or two specimens only). The animal track engravings encompass 39 species, including herbivores, felines, other predators, birds and primates.” (Lenssen-Erz et al. 2023)
“Among the animals and birds that feature in these rock art sites in the Doro! nawas mountains, we note a number of species that do not occur in the region today because they require a more humid climate and environment than that currently prevailing; these are blue wildebeest, buffalo, bushbuck, bushpig, vervet monkey, roan antelope, red-billed teal, and, to an extent, eland, marabou, red-crested korhaan and open-billed stork. All other animals and birds that appear in the engravings continue to live in the region today.” (Lenssen-Erz et al. 2023) This difference in extant species can provide valuable clues to changes in the environment there over time.
“An attempt to attribute any
definite meaning to the track engravings of the Doro! nawas mountains must
remain guesswork and speculation in view of the rich polysemy of tracks that
occur worldwide. For the time being we can maintain that the track engravings
from the prehistoric hunter-gatherer culture(s) that existed in Namibia appear
to have had an epistemic purpose that rested on thorough positivist, empirical
knowledge of the life world from which they emerged. Whatever the deeper and
symbolic meanings of these engravings, it could only emerge in its entirety
through a direct conversation with the artists. It may be that further
statistical analysis centering on other, as yet uninvestigated features of the
engraved tracks could enable researchers in this field to identify some
cognitive groupings of the animals depicted which are neither self-evident nor
self-explanatory–both of which are general characteristics of cognitive
categorizations from a global point of view. The difficulty we note here is one
that arises in the interpretation of all prehistoric art. Consulting
present-day indigenous experts can partly mitigate this issue, enabling Western
researchers access to greater depth of insight through the outstanding
precision and plausibility of indigenous knowledge; yet often, as in this case,
the precise meaning and context of the art will remain elusive.” (Lenssen-Erz et al. 2023)
To
the extent that the life experiences of the trackers involved resembles the
life experiences of the prehistoric peoples who left the rock art being
studied, there can be considerable insight into the record that was left on the
rocks. There is, however, no way to judge cultural similarities and mythologies
so in that regard I would not expect any complete insight as a result. This is
certainly a very interesting project and did result in a great deal of exciting
data. Congratulations to all involved.
NOTE: Images in this posting came from PLoS ONE and copyrights belong to PLoS ONE and the authors. For further information on this report you should read the original report at the site listed below.
REFERENCE:
Lenssen-Erz
T, Pastoors A, Uthmeier T, Ciqae T, Kxunta /, Thao T., 2023, Animal tracks and human footprints in prehistoric hunter-gatherer rock
art of the Doro! nawas mountains (Namibia), analysed by present-day indigenous
tracking experts. PLoS ONE 18(9): e0289560. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289560.
Accessed online 15 September 2023.
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