Zoological Painting: A Scientific Book from the Stone Age

Over 400 tracks from various animal species have been identified in remarkable detail for the first time. Researchers enlisted a trio of experienced local trackers to help unravel the mystery of these 5,000-year-old records, which represent a true zoological canvas.

A “Zoo” Map of the Stone Age from Animal Tracks

In a collection of carved images discovered in the Doro-Nawas mountains of central western Namibia, Kalahari Desert researchers were able not only to identify 407 unique tracks but also to determine the species, gender, approximate age, and even the specific animal that left each footprint immortalized by ancient cave dwellers. Amazingly, the team managed to identify over 90% of the ancient artworks.

As noted by Newatlas, the results resemble a zoo map more than an archaeological document. Among the most common species depicted were tracks of giraffes, white and black rhinos, zebras, and leopards. Additionally, there were drawings of tracks from monkeys, jackals, porcupines, elephants, cheetahs, aardvarks, lions, and baboons. In total, at least 40 animal species were clearly identified by their distinctive tracks, with over 60 of them being images of bird footprints.

The giraffe turned out to be the most popular animal. Researchers counted 54 images of adult giraffe tracks and 81 drawings of baby giraffe footprints. This fact is unusual in itself, as prehistoric artists primarily focused on depicting mostly adult specimens (most often males).

Zoological Art as a Valuable Source of Knowledge About the Past

Archaeologists from Germany gained deeper insights into these drawings thanks to local researchers from the reserve in Tsumkwe. Local trackers have increasingly turned to scientists who are trying to piece together ancient puzzles.

There are many theories about why animal tracks appear in some of humanity’s oldest art galleries. We may never know the full picture. However, this zoological art provides modern researchers with valuable information about how landscapes and animal populations have changed over time.

Identifying rock art through tracks is not foolproof. Nevertheless, it highlights the unique skill set of indigenous people that is crucial for research.

Researchers note that the rocks of Namibia contain numerous images of Stone Age animals and humans, as well as human footprints and animal tracks. Until now, the latter have received little attention because scientists lacked the knowledge to interpret them.