Chongoni Rock Art Area
Malawi · Africa · ✦ UNESCO World Heritage Site
The densest cluster of rock art in Central Africa, still tied to living Chewá ritual traditions.
Age
~2,500 yrs
Period
Late Stone Age to Iron Age
Setting
Rock shelter
Art form
Paintings
Discovered
1950
Status
Open to Visitors
Among the granite hills of central Malawi, 127 painted shelters preserve the richest concentration of rock art in Central Africa. The oldest schematic paintings were made by BaTwa hunter-gatherers; later red-and-white designs belong to Chewá farmers and remain linked to nyau initiation and rain-calling ceremonies still practised today.
Notable Features
- ◦ 127 painted granite shelters
- ◦ Living link to Chewá nyau ritual
- ◦ Densest rock art in Central Africa
Depicted Subjects
Geometric SignsAnthropomorphsAnimals
Plan a Visit
AccessThis cave can be visited.
Sources & Further Reading
Hours & prices change — always confirm on the official site before travelling.
Photographs via Wikimedia Commons — image credits. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.