Images of Mystery: Rock Art of the Drakensberg

by James David Lewis-Williams

This title takes us on an expedition into the lost valleys and up the silent rock shelter of the Drakensberg.

127 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Lewis-Williams had been interested in archaeology in his youth.[2] When interviewed on 19 February 2014 in his office at the Rock Art Research Institute (RARI) at WITS, Lewis-Williams related that in the early days of apartheid, there were very few English-speaking archaeology teaching posts available. One was held by John Goodwin at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the other was held by Clarence Van Riet Lowe at WITS. These posts were in addition to several Afrikaans-speaking posts held at the University of Pretoria (UP)as well as a number of national museums. To major in archaeology was not an option for an undergraduate in South Africa at the time, and in 1952 Lewis-Williams enrolled for a BA at UCT majoring in English and Geography. After his graduation he taught English for twenty years, taking up a position at Selborne College and subsequently at Kearsney College. In the school holidays, Lewis-Williams was able to follow his passion for archaeology, organising field trips for the boys of Kearsney to explore the Drakensberg for rock art images. In 1964, while still teaching, he completed an Honours degree through the University of South Africa (UNISA) entitled Cove Rock: A study in coastal geomorphology. Several years later, Lewis-Williams met Professor John Argyle after giving a College Lecture in Pietermaritzburg. Argyle, who was professor of social anthropology at the University of Natal, suggested that Lewis-Williams do a master's degree under his supervision. Living comfortably in the grounds of Kearsney College, Lewis-Williams was not rushed to complete his master's. Eventually Argyle decided to pressure Lewis-Williams by upgrading his degree to a PhD which was finished in 1977 and published in 1981 as Believing and Seeing: Symbolic meanings in southern San rock paintings.

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book on the interpretation of rock art created by the San peoples in Drakensberg, a geologically striking area that was—unsurprisingly, sadly—lost to them during colonization. Amidst large full-color plates depicting the rock art, the text dives into history and historiography, art and altered states of consciousness. I lack a background in any of these areas, so I can't judge the soundness of the author's speculation on the meanings of the rock art imagery. I can just say that they're fascinating and presented in an accessible, engaging way. One of my favorite quotes: "Description and interpretation are inseparable: there is an element of interpretation in even the simplest description."