Twenty-five enthusiastic members and ‘friends’ of ArchSoc braved the late Autumn and early morning chill for the outing to the rock engravings at Bosworth farm and the adjoining Doornhoek farm, 10 kilometres north of Klerksdorp.
Arriving in convoy at Bosworth, we were welcomed by Ms Lynette Boardman and Dr At Lamprecht, our guides for the day. Just over 600 rock engravings have been located on this low hill on the farm, in an area of approximately 63 000 m2.
Lynette Boardman briefing us on the Bosworth rock engraving site
Rock engravings are mostly found on the interior plateau of South Africa, often near water courses. Similarly, the area around Bosworth and Doornhoek is well watered. There are some wetlands below the hillock, and the Schoonspruit flows through nearby Klerksdorp to its confluence with the Vaal River, 30 kilometres to the south.
There are two types of rock engravings to be found at Bosworth and Doornhoek. The first group comprises finely engraved or ‘pecked’ images of animals and human-like images, attributed to San artists.
The second group consists of geometric patterns more coarsely ‘scratched’ onto the rocks. These are attributed to Khoekhoen herders. The Khoekhoen migrated into present-day South Africa...
