Digital George Stow
Image: STOW_007
Institution : Iziko (no number assigned)
Size : 688mmx490mm
Description : Four figures bearing weaponry (bows and spears, sticks), a rhinoceros, three zebra, two antelope and an animal resembling a giraffe. "Rocks near Buijs zijn Spruit – a branch of the Eland's River. 25th February 1868. G.W.S."
Verso : Verso restored
Description in published source : "PLATE 1 LOCALITY.- FARM: Rietfontein, Mostert’s Hoek. Owner, Mr David M’Ewen. SITE: About twenty minutes walk below the homestead of Rietfontein is a long double rock-shelter on the right bank of a tributary of the Elands River, sometimes called Buys Spruit. The river bed is usually dry. DESCRIPTION,- There are innumerable paintings old and recent in the two rock-shelters. The men in white are from a group with bows and spears super-imposed on several layers of red, orange, and white paint. In the same shelter the giraffe, now half rubbed out, is near a clear picture of a black ox. Next to them is a panel of black human figures, of which two have been copied. The rhino and the row of Zebras are in different parts of the second shelter, faded but accurate. There are pictures of many bucks and of oxen in this spot. The paintings here are still quite visible but fading rapidly, and the rock is falling off in flakes. EXPLANATION,- Stow wrote of this cartoon, ‘Giraffe-Rhinoceros, etc- Representatives of two Bushmen tribes of, the long and short bows. The figures of the men with long bows and spears are probably later than the black figures. The former are superimposed on many layers of paintings, the latter are not. The spears could only have been made when iron spearheads were obtainable from the Bantu tribes. It is noticeable that the men with spears are dressed, the others are not. Dimensions: 16 x 241/2 inches. The shading round the rhinoceros is a pale pink." (Bleek)
Published : "Rock Paintings in SA" plate 1
Locality : Rietfontein, Buys zyn Spruit, Eland's River
Size : 688mmx490mm
Description : Four figures bearing weaponry (bows and spears, sticks), a rhinoceros, three zebra, two antelope and an animal resembling a giraffe. "Rocks near Buijs zijn Spruit – a branch of the Eland's River. 25th February 1868. G.W.S."
Verso : Verso restored
Description in published source : "PLATE 1 LOCALITY.- FARM: Rietfontein, Mostert’s Hoek. Owner, Mr David M’Ewen. SITE: About twenty minutes walk below the homestead of Rietfontein is a long double rock-shelter on the right bank of a tributary of the Elands River, sometimes called Buys Spruit. The river bed is usually dry. DESCRIPTION,- There are innumerable paintings old and recent in the two rock-shelters. The men in white are from a group with bows and spears super-imposed on several layers of red, orange, and white paint. In the same shelter the giraffe, now half rubbed out, is near a clear picture of a black ox. Next to them is a panel of black human figures, of which two have been copied. The rhino and the row of Zebras are in different parts of the second shelter, faded but accurate. There are pictures of many bucks and of oxen in this spot. The paintings here are still quite visible but fading rapidly, and the rock is falling off in flakes. EXPLANATION,- Stow wrote of this cartoon, ‘Giraffe-Rhinoceros, etc- Representatives of two Bushmen tribes of, the long and short bows. The figures of the men with long bows and spears are probably later than the black figures. The former are superimposed on many layers of paintings, the latter are not. The spears could only have been made when iron spearheads were obtainable from the Bantu tribes. It is noticeable that the men with spears are dressed, the others are not. Dimensions: 16 x 241/2 inches. The shading round the rhinoceros is a pale pink." (Bleek)
Published : "Rock Paintings in SA" plate 1
Locality : Rietfontein, Buys zyn Spruit, Eland's River
