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African Rock Art of the Central Zone
Kasama Hills Dedza Hills Dedza Hills Kolo Kasama Hills


African Rock Art Sites

The shaded portion indicates the extent of the central zone of African rock art, principally comprised of finger-painted, monochromatic geometric images.
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View of Malawi

Emerging from the Central African plateau are isolated hills such as this one in Malawi.
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A view of the Masaai Step

A view of the Masaai Step from the hills of Kondoa. Englarge for more detail
Of the three zones, the art of Central Africa is the least studied and least well understood. This zone stretches from the Zambezi River to below the Sahara Desert. The art differs significantly from that to the south and to the north in that images of animals and human beings do not predominate. Instead, the art is principally comprised of finger-painted, monochromatic geometric images. Because of the finger-painted geometric images, some scholars are investigating the link between the central zone and the Khoi art of the southern zone.

There is one anomaly in the central zone—the art of the Kondoa region in central Tanzania. Although very faded with age, the art in this region is not finger painted but, like the fine-line southern African images, is also brush painted. In subject matter and style, it is more closely related to southern African San painting—and, in particular, that of Zimbabwe—than to any of the images in the central zone. It is believed that this enigmatic body of art is closely related to the Hadza and Sandawe people who, until recently, were still involved in hunting and gathering.


Africa, Central Africa, Rock Art, Prehistory, Archaeology, Africa (including Egypt)

Origins Centre, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

The Northern Zone: African Rock Art, The Southern Zone: African Rock Art, The Monumental Stelae of Aksum (3rd–4th century A.D.), African Rock Art, African Rock Art: Apollo 11 and Wonderwerk Cave Stones, African Rock Art: Game Pass, African Rock Art: Tassili-n-Ajjer (?8000 B.C.–?) , African Rock Art: The Coldstream Stone, Ife, Ife: Pre-Pavement and Pavement Era, Ife Terracottas, Inland Niger Delta, Arts of the San People in Nomansland, San Ethnography,



Africa, 2000-1000 B.C., Africa, 1000 B.C.-1 A.D.