The annual ONE DAY LECTURE SERIES of the Archaeological Society of the Western Cape and the Friends of the Stellenbosch Museum is entitled:
“A QUINTET OF AFRICAN ANTHROPOLOGICAL VISIONS AND THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE”
We can try to interpret African rock art within an anthropological framework using living informants, but inevitably we are forced back to our own experiences. These talks about imagery in the archaeological record, will not only be visual but also auditory.
The speakers and their titles are:
Prof. ANDY SMITH
“MASKED MEN, THERIANTHROPES, (OR CHARLATANS) IN SAHARAN ROCK ART?”
Interpretation of some of the human figures from the rock art of the ‘Round Head’ period of the Sahara is that they are wearing masks. As the use of masks is common in West Africa during rituals, this has relevance. An alternative is to consider that these are therianthropes, whose animal heads are considered visions during trance in the rock art of southern Africa.
Prof. SIMON HALL
“TALKING HEADS ”
The Lydenburg Heads are a set of seven, late first millennium AD terracotta sculptures that were found in the early 1960’s near the town of that name in Mpumalanga. Their interpretation, however, has been hampered because, among other issues, their specific archaeological context was not clear. This talk builds upon new research and presents some new ideas on the heads that elaborates their meaning and use in rites of passage, especially those to do with young girls.
Prof. SARAH WURZ
“CREATING A BUZZ AROUND THE LATER STONE AGE OF THE SOUTHERN CAPE”
The long past of the southern Cape region, and from other parts of the sub-continent, has been silent on the role that sound may have played in daily lives and rituals. In this talk I will discuss how sounds were brought to live through multifaceted analysis of single and dual holed implements from the Klasies River and Matjes River Later Stone Age.
NEIL RUSCH
“LITHOPHONES AND PETROGLYPHS: FROM SILENCE TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION”
The archaeological record does not retain sound. Strictly speaking it is silent on the lives and activities performed by the people who left it behind. However, lithophones (rock gongs) provide remnant clues of former sound-making activities.
Dr. JURI VAN DEN HEEVER
“HUMAN EVOLUTION, RITUAL AND RELIGION”
Traditionally moral philosophers have not directly suggested causal explanations for our innate behaviour. Biologists have subsequently stepped into the breach and the preponderance of empirical data, generated by studies on primates and young children, clearly indicates that ethical behaviour is biologically constituted.
Prof. ANDY SMITH will chair the proceedings.
VISIT TO “WELTEVREDEN”
In conclusion we visit the historic farm ‘Weltevreden’. The impressive H-shaped homestead was built in 1812 by Piet Retief and is the only Cape Dutch homestead with wagon wheels on the gable.
DATE : Sunday, 15 September 2019
TIME : 10:00 – 15:30
VENUE : “Erfurthuis”, 37 Ryneveld Street, Stellenbosch
COST : R200.00 (TEA AND LUNCH INCLUDED)
BOOKINGS ARE ESSENTIAL with Esme Adriaanse at 021 887 2937
Pay cash at door or EFT
Account: Friends of the Stellenbosch Museum
Bank: Standard Bank
Account No: 077159454
Branch: Stellenbosch 050610
Please e-mail proof of payment to sonabu@telkomsa.net