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Cultured Representation

Understanding ‘Formlings’, an Enigmatic Motif in the Rock-Art of Zimbabwe

Rock Art Research Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, siyakha{at}rockart.wits.ac.za

A rock-painting panel in the Matopo Hills, Zimbabwe, illustrates the distinctive features of the formling motif, a striking peculiarity of Zimbabwean San (Bushman) rock-art. The debate regarding the derivation and meaning of this motif has proceeded unabated until very recently. The motif has been interpreted variously as depicting natural and cultural material phenomena. In contrast to previous interpretations, this paper advocates an approach that considers San art imagery as cultured representations, which is a notion that foregrounds the understanding of San image-making principles, the San world-view and the concomitant knowledge system of beliefs. Finally, the paper provides a precise definition of the features of formlings that can be tied in with a particular subject.

Key Words: abstraction • cultured • formlingl • Matopo Hills • picturing purpose • representation

Journal of Social Archaeology, Vol. 4, No. 2, 181-199 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/1469605304041074


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