Pomongwe Cave
Pomongwe
Zimbabwe · Matabeleland South
In brief
Excavations in the cave in the Matobo Hills have revealed Middle and Later Stone Age layers. The MATOBART project is re-examining old excavation trenches to investigate the relationships between paintings, pigments and settlement layers.
What was found?
- 1Painted rock fragments
These are fragments bearing traces of paint that broke away from the cave wall and fell into occupation layers. They are important for investigating the minimum possible age of the paintings.
- 2Pigments and grinding tools
Pigments, grinding stones and pounders are tangible traces of paint preparation. The materials used are investigated by comparing them with the wall paintings.
- 3Stone and bone tools
Tools made from both stone and bone have been found in excavations. They allow researchers to examine the everyday technology of the communities that made the paintings.
What does it point to?
Pomongwe is a site where the everyday activities of hunter-gatherers and the production of paintings can be traced in the same place. According to researchers, the painted fragments may indicate a very ancient painting tradition; however, the nature of the paint and its stratigraphic context must also be verified.
What did it teach us?
- Rock paintings can be studied together with tools on the ground and remains of paint preparation.
- A painted fragment recovered from a layer helps establish the painting's minimum age, rather than its exact date of creation.
Images
Record
- First modern dig
- 1960
- Team / historical
- MATOBART; Camille Bourdier, Ancila Nhamo and Guillaume Porraz
- Coordinates
- -20.5477°, 28.5133°
Sources
Nearby excavations
- Bambata Cave 12 km
- Khami Ruins 46 km
- Danamombe 108 km
- Mapungubwe Hill 198 km
- Great Zimbabwe 254 km
- Sterkfontein Caves 613 km
- —
- —
- 12.000
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