Elena Rossi
The Apollo 11 Cave in southwestern Namibia is an archaeological site that was named by German archaeologist Wolfgang Erich Wendt in reference to Apollo 11's return to Earth during his excavations there. The cave contains some of the oldest mobile art ever discovered in southern Africa and the oldest figurative art in Africa, dated to around 25,500 BC. In total, seven slabs of rock with traces of animal figures were found, along with several white and red rock paintings on the cave walls, featuring zigzags, handprints, and geometric images. The site also yielded 21,265 stone artifacts, providing evidence of human occupation over 100,000 years ago.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | ǀAi-ǀAis/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, Huns Mountains, Southwestern Namibia |
| Type of site | More of a rock overhang than a cave |
| Entrance width | 28 metres |
| Depth | 11 metres |
| Art type | Rock paintings, engravings, slabs |
| Number of slabs | 7 |
| Slab material | Quartzite |
| Slab colour | Grey-brown |
| Slab size | Palm-sized |
| Slab images | Animals, therianthropic figures, geometric patterns, bees |
| Slab pigments | Charcoal, ochre, white |
| Slab dates | 25,500–25,300 BC, 25,500 BC, 26,400 BC, 28,000 BC, 30,000 BC |
| Engravings | On a nearby riverbed and a large limestone boulder |
| Engraving images | Animals, geometric patterns |
| Engraving dates | Less than 2,000 years ago |
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What You'll Learn
- The Apollo 11 Stones: seven slabs of rock with animal figures, created around 25,500 BCE
- The slabs were painted with charcoal, ochre, and white pigments
- The cave contained other art, including white and red paintings
- The subject matter of the paintings ranges from geometric patterns to bees
- Engravings were also found near the cave, including depictions of animals
The Apollo 11 Stones: seven slabs of rock with animal figures, created around 25,500 BCE
The Apollo 11 Stones refer to seven slabs of rock decorated with animal figures, which were discovered inside the Apollo 11 Cave in the Huns Mountains of southwestern Namibia. These slabs, made of grey-brown quartzite, are believed to have been created around 25,500 BCE, although some sources date them more broadly to between 25,500 and 23,500 BCE or 25,500 and 25,300 BCE.
The slabs feature drawings created with charcoal, ochre, and white pigments. One of the most famous slabs depicts a therianthropic figure—a creature that combines human hind legs with the abdomen, legs, neck, and horns of an antelope, and the head of a feline predator. Another slab features an unidentified animal form that may be part of a therianthrope, with curved horns possibly belonging to an Oryx and features suggestive of a bovid's sexual organ. These drawings have led to speculation about the presence of a complex system of shamanistic belief.
The Apollo 11 Stones are significant because they are among the oldest examples of figurative art from the African continent. They provide valuable insights into the behavioural modernity of Homo sapiens during the Middle Stone Age, approximately 25,000 years ago. The discovery of these slabs contributes to our understanding of early humanity's creative attempts to express their thoughts about the world before the invention of formal writing.
The Apollo 11 Cave, named by German archaeologist Wolfgang Erich Wendt in reference to Apollo 11's return to Earth, is more of a rock overhang than a cave. It has a wide entrance of about 28 metres and is 11 metres deep. The cave contains not just the slabs but also paintings and engravings, featuring abstract signs, geometric patterns, and images of animals. These works, created by San tribesmen, are believed to date to about 8,500 BCE, much younger than the slabs themselves.
In addition to the artistic treasures, the Apollo 11 Cave has yielded important archaeological findings. The cave contains a sequence of cultural layers representing over 100,000 years of human occupation, with stone artifacts dating to the Middle Stone Age period (c. 280,000-40,000 BCE). These artifacts include stone blades, pointed flakes, and scrapers made from materials sourced outside the region, indicating long-distance trade of stone tool technology.
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The slabs were painted with charcoal, ochre, and white pigments
The Apollo 11 Cave in southwestern Namibia is an archaeological site that was named by German archaeologist Wolfgang Erich Wendt in reference to Apollo 11's return to Earth during his excavations in 1969. The cave, more of a rock overhang, has a wide entrance of about 28 metres and is 11 metres deep.
Wendt's team discovered a sequence of cultural layers from over 100,000 years of human occupation. Among the stone artefacts and fragments of ostrich eggshells, seven slabs of grey-brown quartzite were found, decorated with charcoal, ochre, and white pigments. These slabs, known as the Apollo 11 Stones, feature drawings of animals, including a therianthropic figure combining human and animal features, and are considered some of the most sophisticated paleolithic art in sub-Saharan Africa.
The slabs were originally believed to date back to around 25,500 BC based on the carbon dating of charcoal and ash found in the same sediment layer. However, more recent studies have suggested dates ranging from 28,000 BC to as early as 38,000 BC. The slabs are now housed at the National Museum of Namibia in Windhoek, where they continue to intrigue visitors and scholars alike.
In addition to the slabs, the cave also contained white and red paintings, including geometric patterns and depictions of bees, as well as engravings of animals on the nearby riverbed. These works, created by San tribesmen, are believed to date to around 8,500 BC. The discovery of the Apollo 11 Stones has contributed significantly to our understanding of early humanity's creative endeavours and their beliefs, providing a fascinating glimpse into the world of our ancestors.
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The cave contained other art, including white and red paintings
The Apollo 11 Cave in Namibia is an archaeological site that was named by German archaeologist Wolfgang Erich Wendt, in reference to Apollo 11's return to Earth during the time of his excavations. The cave contains some of the oldest mobile art ever discovered in southern Africa, with the most famous being the seven grey-brown quartzite slabs depicting animal figures. These slabs, referred to as the Apollo 11 Stones, are now housed at the National Museum of Namibia in Windhoek.
However, the cave contained other art besides these slabs. The walls of the cave feature rock paintings in white and red, including zigzags, two handprints, and three geometric images. These paintings are believed to be from the Later Stone Age period. Additionally, there were engravings found on the banks of a riverbed just upstream from the cave, depicting various animals with zigzag lines leading upwards. These engravings are estimated to be less than 2,000 years old.
The white and red paintings inside the Apollo 11 Cave contribute to our understanding of early human creativity and their attempts to express their thoughts about the world before the invention of formal writing. The use of colour and geometric patterns demonstrates the behavioural modernity of Homo sapiens in the Middle Stone Age, who were not just anatomically modern but also creatively and intellectually advanced.
The discovery of these paintings and engravings transforms Apollo 11 from just a cave that offered shelter to a site of ritual significance that was used by humans over thousands of years. The presence of art, including the white and red paintings, suggests that this site was more than just a practical space, but also held cultural and spiritual importance for the people who occupied it.
Overall, the Apollo 11 Cave, with its diverse range of art, including the white and red paintings, provides valuable insights into the behavioural and cognitive developments of early humans in Africa.
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The subject matter of the paintings ranges from geometric patterns to bees
The Apollo 11 Cave in southwestern Namibia is an archaeological site that was once a hub of human settlement during the Middle Stone Age. The cave is believed to have accumulated deposits in a series of human "occupational pulses" over an interval of at least 40 millennia. The cave is about 28 metres wide and 11 metres deep, with a rock overhang that provided shelter to prehistoric humans.
The cave contains seven slabs of quartzite decorated with charcoal drawings and ochre images of animals, which are believed to be the oldest animal paintings in Africa, dating back to around 25,500 BC. These slabs, referred to as the Apollo 11 Stones, are now housed at the National Museum of Namibia in Windhoek. The most famous of these slabs depicts a therianthropic figure—a combination of human hind legs, an antelope's abdomen, legs, neck, and horns, and a feline predator's head.
In addition to the slabs, the cave walls feature rock paintings in white and red, including zigzags, handprints, and geometric images. The subject matter of these paintings ranges from simple geometric patterns to bees. The geometric patterns include horizontal and vertical zigzags, with some patterns incorporating dashes of red pigment. The presence of handprints suggests a personal touch by the ancient artists.
The variety of subject matter in the paintings showcases the creative attempts of early humans to express their thoughts and beliefs about the world around them. The paintings, along with the stone slabs, provide valuable insights into the behavioural modernity of Homo sapiens during the Middle Stone Age.
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Engravings were also found near the cave, including depictions of animals
The Apollo 11 Cave, named after the Apollo 11 mission to the moon, is an archaeological site in the ǀAi-ǀAis/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park in southwestern Namibia. The cave is believed to have been occupied by humans for over 100,000 years. The site has yielded numerous artefacts, including stone blades, pointed flakes, and scrapers, as well as fragments of ostrich eggshells marked with red pigment, suggesting decorative art or the use of eggshells as containers for pigment.
The Apollo 11 Cave is renowned for its ancient rock art, specifically the seven grey-brown quartzite slabs excavated from the cave floor, known as the Apollo 11 Stones. These slabs, decorated with charcoal drawings and ochre images of animals, are dated to approximately 25,500 BC, making them some of the oldest animal paintings in Africa. The most famous slab depicts a therianthropic figure—a creature with human hind legs, an antelope's abdomen, legs, neck, and horns, and a feline head.
In addition to the slabs, the cave contains several white and red paintings on its walls, including geometric patterns, handprints, and depictions of bees. These paintings belong to the Later Stone Age period.
The discovery of these engravings, along with the rock paintings and slabs, suggests that the Apollo 11 Cave was more than just a shelter; it was a site of ritual significance for thousands of years, offering insights into the beliefs and creativity of early Homo sapiens in southern Africa.
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Frequently asked questions
Seven slabs of rock with traces of animal figures were found inside the Apollo 11 Cave.
The Apollo 11 Stones are seven grey-brown quartzite slabs excavated from the cave. They are now housed at the National Museum of Namibia in Windhoek.
The painted slabs have been dated to 25,500 BC, with one source giving a range of 25,500–25,300 BCE. This makes them the oldest animal paintings in Africa.
The slabs feature drawings of animals in charcoal, ochre, and white pigments. The most famous stone depicts a therianthropic figure—a combination of human and animal body parts.
The cave contained white and red rock paintings, including zigzags, handprints, and geometric images. Archaeologists also found stone tools, fragments of decorated ostrich eggshells, and evidence of human occupation dating back over 100,000 years.
