Situated on the northern frontier of the Cederberg Mountains, Bushmans Kloof boasts distinctive geology, fauna and flora, as well as an archaeological past that encompasses the earliest hunter-gatherers and the Bushmen of Southern Africa. One of its main attractions is the large number of superbly preserved rock art sites, painted by the people who inhabited this region during the Later Stone Age.

Bushmans Kloof is custodian to some of the finest examples of rock paintings in South Africa. This is true not only in terms of the richness and clarity of some of the images, but also in terms of the concentration of sites and the content of the imagery.

More than 130 rock art sites were meticulously recorded at Bushmans Kloof, and it still remains its most unique attraction. With the input from renowned archeologists and anthropologists, the Bushmans Kloof rangers have been trained to interpret these priceless works of art to enchanted guests.

Cited by Valli Moosa, the Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs as: “South Africa’s rich tapestry of rock art predates the most visited temples and ruins around the world, and is by far the oldest record of human art forms. This interpretation of the lives of our forefathers, is a product that not many can offer. Many countries have beaches and wildlife destinations, but we have the cradle of human kind.”

Important rock art sites at Bushmans Kloof include Fallen Rock - the fallen painted slab that gives it its name, being the least of this site’s attractions.  It houses the largest painting of a San cave dwelling group known in the Western Cape.  It is also home to one of the largest collections of well-preserved and diverse images known in the Pakhuis region and has a deposit of ash, sand and grass left behind by the San occupants thousands of years ago. The site was excavated a couple of years ago by the Archeology department of the University of Cape Town.

"Bleeding Nose" site

At Bleeding Nose Shelter, rock paintings stand out richly in the small alcove site formed in white sandstone. Subjects include eland, small antelope, rare paintings of birds and a whole variety of humans standing, dancing and shooting with bows. This site takes its name from a painting of a man with blood pouring from his nose who is joined to his companions by mystical lines of power.

Plans for enhancing the rock art experience at Bushmans Kloof include pioneering a rock art management strategy for Southern Africa. A system of intense ranger assessment and training, site ‘clean-ups’ and daily rock art logbook recording is already in place.

A brand new Research and Information Centre has been established at Bushmans Kloof, which will house interpretive displays of the past and present, including authentic Bushman Pieces.  Some of these artifacts form part of the Rudner Collection that belonged to the late anthropologist Yalmar Rudner, who collected the pieces while studying the Bushmen in Namibia and Botswana during the 1950's and 1060's.

In 1996, artist Stephen Townley Bassett completed a series of life-size, full colour recordings of rock art at Bushmans Kloof, accurately documenting both the paintings, and the rock background on which they were depicted. This collection is on view at Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve, and lithographic prints of these works are available at Bushmans Kloof or from the artist’s studio in Cape Town.  Stephen's interest in rock art was fostered from an early age by his late uncle, “Ginger” Townley Johnson, who located and documented San paintings in South Africa from the 1950’s.

Stephen Townley Bassett: Studio tel (021) 683-9682