Exploring our Past, The Rock arts in Tanzania

Clearest Rock Arts in Tanzania, visit all famous and hidden Rock Paintings in Tanzania

From the nomadic life and hunting life in Africa thousands of years back were greatest artist who left their remembrances inside the shelter where we can,t make a living nowdays. Visit Rock arts in Tanzania, famous Kondoa Rock paintings, Singida and Lake Eyasi.

Kolo Kondoa Rock Arts

The Kolo-Kondoa rock paintings, some of which date back around 3 000 years, are exceptional for their excellent condition and the number of paintings which have survived. Painted either by hand or by brush, the images depict animals and hunting scenes.

The Kondoa rock art sites are a series of caves carved into the side of a hill looking out over the steppe, c. nine kilometres off the main highway from Kondoa to Arusha about 20 km north of Kondoa, in Tanzania. The caves contain paintings, some of which are believed by the Tanzania Antiquities Department to date back more than 1500 years. The paintings depict elongated people, animals, and hunting scenes.

Singida and Lake Eyasi Rockarts

The rock art of Singida and the L. Eyasi Basin, like that of central Tanzania, is almost exclusively made up of paintings executed predominantly in two pigments, i.e shades of red and white but occasionally brown and black. The result is a plethora of different subject matter reproduced in a variety of styles. Zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figures dominate the sites studied, accounting for 42% and 44% respectively, while geometrics and symbols accounted for only 14% of all recognisable representations. Most animal representations are depicted in naturalistic rendering and human figures are mostly stylised.

Possible materials used to create rock paintings include fat (now also used in industrial paints) from game animals, termites, bullfrogs, and plant oil from nuts and seeds. Others, which have been revealed by ethnographical research, are dung from cow and hyrax mixed with urine, fat or water. Blood seems to have been used as a fixative or may also have been used for ritualistic purposes. Pigments for the red and brown colourings have been revealed to be mainly iron oxide.

Yeda Chini sites: The following 11 sites form a cluster of inselbergs in the Endagulga plains near Yaida Chini in southern Mbulu. Like the northern Mbulu sites, the majority of them as it will become apparent are in relatively good state of preservation. To get to them one would have to get guides from Yaida Chini village.

The subject matter includes anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures executed in semi-naturalistic and naturalistic styles respectively. A shade of red ochreous paint is used. It is noteworthy that there seems to be a deliberate attempt to portray the human figure less stylised than is the case in Singida. Whatever the significance of this is, it is premature to speculate pending further study. For now it is in good state of preservation, but there is nothing to arrest threats posed by incrustation and exfoliation.

Tours to Explore Tanzania Rock Arts.

Possible to combine all described rock paintings site in locations in one tour from Arusha.

Possible to reach sites in

Kolo-Kondoa; Mongomi site, Pahi site, Thawi site, Fenga site, Masange Site and Kandaga Rocksprings site.

Lake Eyasi District; You will enjoy visiting Rock arts and find one of the last hunter-gatherers still living in the past like “Hadzabe Tribe”. Visit Mumba Cave, Kideleko Cave, Kosheoko Cave, and Kwisaanabii Cave, most of the name is from the Hadzabe tribe language that kind of clicking

There are more in Yeda Chini and Singida where we continue to explore.

Contact us for a tour booking;
Email; info@wildesecretsafaris.com

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