Rock art in Twyfelfontein, Namibia
Andreas Pastoors, CC-BY 4.0
Expert trackers have been able to identify the species depicted in around 400 animal footprints carved on rocks in Namibia during the Stone Age. They were also able to determine the animal’s sex, the specific leg that made the print, and whether the animal was an adult or not.
In the region of Twyfelfontein in northwest Namibia, numerous rock engravings have been discovered, dating back up to 5000 years. Many of these carvings depict animal and human footprints. To study these engravings, Andreas Pastoors from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany enlisted the help of three expert trackers: Tsamgao Ciqae, /Ui Kxunta, and Thui Thao, who typically work for commercial hunters.
The trackers identified over 40 species depicted in the engraved animal tracks, ranging from rhinos and giraffes to aardvarks and porcupines. Approximately 60 tracks were identified as bird tracks, including those of the secretary bird and the marabou stork.
While most of the depicted species are still found in the area, some, such as blue wildebeest, buffalo, bushbucks, and vervet monkeys, are only found in regions with more water, several hundred kilometers away. Pastoors believes that those who made the engravings must have traveled to these locations where these animals reside, as there is no evidence of a change in climate in the region.
In addition to the animal tracks, the trackers also identified the sex of around 100 engraved human footprints found at the same sites, as well as whether the footprints were made by adults or children. The majority of the footprints were determined to be those of children, with only 15 out of 106 being attributed to adults.
It is impossible to verify if the trackers’ identifications align with the artists’ intentions. However, according to Pastoors, experienced trackers consider the footprints of animals to be as distinctive and recognizable as the animals themselves. The trackers work collaboratively and make consensus decisions on their identifications.
While the team has explored various theories about the purpose of these carved tracks, including the possibility of them being used for teaching, there is no clear evidence supporting any particular hypothesis.
Similar carved tracks can be found in various locations worldwide. Pastoors has previously enlisted the same trackers to analyze preserved human footprints in cave floors across Europe.
