The primordial circle : the prehistoric rock engravings of Redan, Vereeniging
Abstract
Redan in the Vereeniging area is the only major rock engraving site in Gauteng. On the rock face of an isolated sandstone outcrop, 273 enigmatic images have been engraved. A few of these images represent animals; however, the vast majority are totally non-representational. They are geometrically constructed and are predominantly circular in shape. No two images are identical. The age of the engravings is not known and no archaeological research or scientific dating has ever been undertaken at the site. Similar sites further north in the Kimberley area have been dated and are believed to be between 150 and 8400 years old. In order to establish a historic-cultural context for the engravings, it was necessary to review the entire prehistory and history of the area. This was a daunting task as the area is relatively under-researched and resources are limited. During this vast time-span, the southern Highveld was sporadically inhabited by a succession of indigenous peoples. In 1823 and during the Difaqane, the area across the Vaal River, the transVaal, was penetrated for the first time by missionaries. At least 1 0 different ethnic and cultural groups were encountered, including a substantial number of Korana (a division of the Khoekhoen). The site has a long and chequered history, varying from the enthusiastic efforts of a few concerned individuals, to the apathy and disinterest of the official bodies concerned. Relevant facts have been included in the study. In spite of its status as a declared national monument, the site has become progressively more neglected. Sandstone is extremely friable and this, together with the heavy industrial pollution of the area, is causing the rock surface to exfoliate at an alarming rate. A grave cause for concern is the possibility that the engravings will eventually be completely obliterated. This concern was the initial motivation for the present study; to record these enigmatic images as effectively and expediently as possible in order to have a permanent record that will continue to give access to the information present in the engravings, long after their extinction. Each of the 273 images was subsequently photographed, electronically scanned and recorded on CD Rom for reproduction and archival purposes. These CDs are available on request. The traditional belief in a San hunter-gatherer authorship for both rock paintings and rock engravings, is currently being contested. Recent research is pointing increasingly to a Khoekhoen herder origin for the rock engravings of southern Africa. As the present study progressed and on closer inspection of the engravings, it indeed appeared that the rock engravings of Redan were in all probability of Khoekhoe origin. The next logical step was to attempt to determine the meaning of these enigmatic images. The probable origin of the engravings, and the wide-spread occurrence of predominantly circular imagery, dictated that an inclusive and holistic interpretative approach be adopted. The principles embodied in Amheim's (1956, 1970, 1986, 1988) theory of 'visual thinking' and the phenomenological approach of Norberg-Schulz (1971, 1975, 1979) proved to be the most fruitful. Finally, the study is an attempt towards a further understanding of the burgeoning human capacity to express an idea or experience in pictorial form, and the primacy of the circle in 'early art'.F
Collections
- Humanities [2671]