Twyfelfontein / ǀUi-ǁAis

Twyfelfontein is a rocky site situated in the Kunene Region of north-western Namibia. The site features approximately 2,000 to 2,500 rock carvings, and in 2007, UNESCO designated it as a World Heritage Site. It is one of the largest and most important concentrations of rock art in Africa and was proclaimed a National Monument in 1952. It is estimated that as many as 40,000 to 60,000 visitors now visit the site annually, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in Namibia. UNESCO recognised it for its exceptional record of ritual practices by hunter-gatherer communities spanning at least 6,000 years.

News of the site first reached the Western world when Reinhard Maack included Twyfelfontein in a report in 1921; he is thought to have been informed of the existence of the engravings by a land surveyor. Of course, the local inhabitants had been aware of the site long before this time. However, it is thought they avoided the engravings out of respect, as the area was regarded as sacred and inhabited by the spirits of the deceased. Many panels still show signs of ritual use, including grooves and cupules believed to be associated with rain-making or initiation ceremonies.

At some time during 1946, a farmer settled on the land; he named it Twyfelfontein (meaning “doubtful fountain” in Afrikaans). It is thought that he chose this name because he was unsure whether the small spring called Ui-//aes on the farm would provide enough water to support his family and livestock. In 1971, under the segregation laws of apartheid, the area was allocated as communal land exclusively for Damara farmers, and the region—roughly corresponding to today’s Kunene Region—was renamed Damaraland (a name still widely used today). The Twyfelfontein Uibasen Community now manages the site jointly with Namibia’s heritage authorities.

A visitors’ centre has been erected at Twyfelfontein; it was built and designed to blend into the surrounding red sandstone environment. The building contains no cement and uses predominantly recycled and local materials; the whole centre can be easily dismantled, leaving no impression on the landscape. The visitors’ centre features displays detailing the local fauna and flora, the meaning of the engravings, and the site's history. The centre has received international awards for sustainable design.

A series of stone pathways has been laid (to reduce erosion). These lead to viewing platforms that allow visitors to gain an excellent view of the major engravings. Guided walks are compulsory to minimise damage, and the guides—drawn from the local community—offer valuable insight into the archaeological and cultural significance of the site.

One of the most prominent collections of rock paintings and engravings in Namibia can be viewed at Twyfelfontein (“doubtful spring”). Twyfelfontein lies approximately 550 m above sea level, and there are around 2,500 engravings on 212 slabs of rock, with additional panels featuring rock paintings. The engravings are generally older than the paintings and include some of the earliest known depictions of animals in Namibia.

As Twyfelfontein lies in a valley, it is flanked by the slopes of a sandstone table mountain, covered in a hard patina. The early Stone Age artists—most likely San hunter-gatherers—chiselled through this incrustation to produce their artwork, and in time the patina reformed over the engravings, protecting them from weathering. Stone Age hunters and animals were attracted to this small perennial spring, the only one of its kind in the immediate area. The spring made the site a natural meeting place for humans and wildlife, forming part of a ritual landscape linked with shamanistic practices.

There are 17 different sites at Twyfelfontein containing rock engravings, totalling 212 stone slabs covered with engravings. It is these pieces of Stone Age art that lend Twyfelfontein its importance, rather than the rock paintings and stone artefacts. The most famous—and to some, the most impressive—rock engravings are:

• The lion with the kink in its tail
• The giant giraffe
• The “fable animal”
• The works at the “place of ceremonies”
• The symbolic engravings near the terraces

The lion is particularly notable because its paw prints end in human feet—a classic example of shamanistic transformation symbolism in San rock art.

The giant giraffe, one of the largest engravings in Africa, may have served as a focal point for ritual activity.