Real Namibia: Twyfelfontein

“The counts of the number of rock etchings range from 2,500 to over 3,000. A more appropriate way of summing it up would be to say that there are lots.”

That lion again... If the inhabitants depicted what they saw, what was the story behind its tail?

About a couple of thousand years ago, the gatherers who lived at Twyfelfontein, probably wondering what to do with themselves after the hunt, picked up bits of quartz rock and invented Namibian graffiti.

Judging from the situation of the site, overlooking a rather lovely valley in which animals stand out like an easy breakfast, the hunting was not difficult. If you factor in the amount of rock etchings that are chiseled into the rock, they must have had a lot of time on their hands.

The counts of the number of rock etchings range from 2,500 to over 3,000. A more appropriate way of summing it up would be to say that there are lots. In fact, there are far more than you can possibly see in the short time it takes to walk around the site.

People who have too much time on their hands tend to get extreme. The interesting thing about the Twyfelfontein rock art is that it extends well up the walls of the bowl of rock that encircles the site. In the absence of any credible evidence of scaffolding, it is easy to surmise that the carvings must have been done by expert climbers or by pyramids of people, standing upon each other’s shoulders.

The overriding theme of everything is animals. In the rock it is easy to see a record of the wildlife that was seen in the area. One of the best-known etchings is of a lion with a ninety degree kink in its tail. One wonders what funny set of circumstances caused this deformity. Other etchings show various symbols. There is a lot of dispute about what these mean.

Twyfelfontein was obviously a bit more than a convenient gallery and outlet for artistic expression though. One of the other amazing sights is the manner in which bodies, and buttocks particularly, wore out grooves in the rock as people slept. Obviously a comfortable night was judged in terms of warmth, absence of rain and no predators in those days: mattresses must have been in the realm of science fiction, though more likely fantasy. Backache must have been chronic.

Another interesting thing to note is the shards of white rock that litter the site: early man’s kitchen tools and home appliances.

The best time to walk Twyfelfontein is in the early morning. Aside from the fact that it becomes punishingly hot around mid morning, the harsh sunlight makes it difficult to photograph the etchings. Consolation prize goes to a late afternoon / early evening walk. Although it will still be quite hot, the high elevation of the site and the western view, down into the valley promises an excellent sunset.

If you do the Twyfelfontein walk in the morning, there are a couple of points of interest round the corner. The Organ Pipes are a series of geometrical protrusions in the rocks that resemble, well, organ pipes. If you like geometrical protrusions in rocks or have a thing for organ pipes, this will be just the thing for you.

Another point of interest is the Burnt Mountain, a heap of black rock that resembles a pile of volcanic slag. For maximum effect, visit this towards midday in the furnace heat of a Namibian summer. It may appear as if the Burnt Mountain is still burning. At this point it is worth looking around and noting the heat haze in the distance. If you do, take a moment to meditate on the joys of air conditioning.

The best time of day in the area is in the evening as the sun sets. The air cools and the rocks take on a rosy hue that for some reason is very relaxing.

A number of lodges have sprung up in the area, but the community run campsite on the banks of the Aba-Huab is remarkable pleasant. It has communal showers and toilets, a bar, running water, though not in the river, and wood is brought to the campsite for cooking the evening meal. The only disturbance is the occasional group of ‘overlanders’ who play music and make a noise. Telling them to ‘shut up’ usually solves the problem.

Occasionally the river runs, and a part of the campsite is washed away. The simple solution that has been adopted is to move the campsite a couple of meters further. No traveler has ever been lost to this occurrence.

On the way out, the Petrified Forest is also worth a visit. This is a series of trees that fell in some distant past, and turned to stone. With a bit of luck you may be able to buy a small piece of pink stone in which you can see the fossilized filigree remnants of small fern-like plants.

Although Namibia has the attractions of animals and the desert, Twyfelfontein and its surrounds show a different side to the country: the timeless.