Why Africa's Pre-Historic Art is On the Rocks
 

By FRED OLUOCH
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Rock art in South Africa, left, and in Kenya. Most of the sites are under threat from vandalism, construction and mining industries 

East Africa is dotted with ancient rock art, some of it dating back 7,000 years, yet this part of the region's heritage is either neglected, ignored or threatened by human development.

An international conference-cum-exhibition will be held in Nairobi from November 1-4, to raise interest and conservation efforts for what is considered one of the world's most ancient forms of communication. 

The event – the first of its kind to be held in Kenya – is expected to attract about 100 participants from Africa, Europe, the US and Australia, courtesy of the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) and the Kenya-based Trust for African Rock Art (TARA). 

The region, like the rest of Africa, is endowed with a rich variety of rock art ranging from complex engravings to simple but durable rock paintings, most of which were done by prehistoric foragers who had no writing but could still communicate their thoughts in images, designs and symbols inscribed on rock. 

But unlike Europe's palaeontological paintings that are protected in caves, Africa's rock art – part of the continent's precious immovable heritage and an irreplaceable resource – is under threat from vandalism and the, construction and mining industries. The scientific conference will examine issues relating to rock art importance and research, conservation, dating, tourism and management, while the exhibition – by NMK – on the other hand, will acquaint the public with rock art and its place in the region's cultural heritage. 

Kenyan rock art, for instance, offers a potential tourism resource to local communities and the country in general, but its existence is hardly publicised whole at the same time it is exposed to vandalism, theft and negligence. 

The conference and exhibition will be of particular interest to Kenya's tourism industry, which is seeking to diversify from the over-exploited "beach and safari" routine.

According to TARA chairman David Coulson, the exhibition and the conference are important because, "Only specialists and a minority of the general public have a reasonable understanding of Africa's ancient rock art and yet they are among mankind's earliest works of art."

Mr Coulson and a former director of Namibia's Wildlife and National Parks, Alec Campbell, have authored a pictorial book on African rock art dating back 8,000 years. 

TARA chief operations officer, Amolo Ng'weno told 

The EastAfrican that rock art is normally found on private land that is not open to the public. 

This has been the biggest dilemma for rock art conservationists and is set to be one of the key areas of discussion. The best example in Kenya is the Lukenya site in Eastern Province, where the owner has refused to open up to tourists. 

"While the law does not allow site owners to destroy rock art, it at the same time does not compel the owner to open it to the public," said Ms Ng'weno, who added that site owners fear that conservation institutions such NMK might take over their land in the name of conservation and pay them very little in return.

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