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Peter Genge Collection

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School of Social Sciences

Photograph and slide

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2028 D2 MISC004 (Gulubahwe)

Description

DescriptionGulubahwe (Area: 2028 D2; Map: MTSHABEZI) is a National Monument and has been open to the public for many decades. It has been photographed and reproduced by almost all researchers who have worked in the Matobo Hill. Peter Genge visited the site on numerous occasions, his earliest recordings are from 12 July 1985.

Peter Garlake, in his 1987 book "The Painted Caves", described the site as follows:
"This small domed cave has an enormous snake stretched across the wall. Beside it are several of the characteristic hunched shouldered figures of the Matopos. Otherwise, many of the figures in the cave have been damaged and lack the beauty and variety of those in the more important caves. The snake itself has a red outline and is filled in with a pink and cream pigment, dark on its underside. It has an animal's head with ears and mane. Its jaws are open, showing a set of regular teeth. Its tail is abruptly thinned. Along its humped back are a series of small human figures, crouched, crawling, sitting and standing. Amongst them are baboons and a dog-like creature. The figure nearest the tail has an obese body and a tail. An elongated figure, hand to head, rises from the snake's muzzle. The figures below the snake are badly damaged by pecking: long lines of tall standing figures and hunters; groups encamped; and a cluster of objects probably representing bags. Among them are five large elongated figures with tiny heads, hunched shoulders and in most cases, tails. In front of the snake's head are two giraffe and the confused remnants of a camp scene, possibly enclosed in a semicircle. On the far right of the cave are six figures, one with a barred penis and one with a tulip penis. Stretching from the snake's tail to the left of the cave are at least eleven monumental figures with hunched shoulders, tiny heads and, in most cases, tails. Most stand; some sit; one is crouched. Among them are, on the left, an abstract, bulbous design and, next to it, a small semi-human creature with fat body, ears and tail, a giraffe and, on the right, another giraffe and buck, one of them lying down."

Location information

Category of placeArchaeological siteSub-category of placeRock Art SiteLocation^[1]Is part of placeMatobo Communal LandUmzingwane District (Zimbabwe)Matabeleland South Province (Zimbabwe)Zimbabwe

Connections

Subject (topic)rock paintingStone Ageformlingtreephytanthropegiraffeantelopetherianthropesnake (animal-headed)human figuresRelated collectionPeter Genge Collection

Item information

ContributorSchool of Social SciencesSource of informationGarlake 1987: 89Parry 2000: 112-113Van Den Heever 2021: 300)SARADA Ref: ZIM GUU1Wilce and Smith 2024

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2028 D2 MISC004 (Gulubahwe)

THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA