Twyfelfontein

Namibia · Africa · ✦ UNESCO World Heritage Site

Exceptional

Namibia’s first World Heritage Site — thousands of engravings of game and spoor around a desert spring.

Age

~6,000 yrs

Period

Later Stone Age

Setting

Open-air

Art form

Petroglyphs

Discovered

1921

Status

Open to Visitors

⧗ See it on the timeline

In the arid Damaraland, Twyfelfontein (/Ui-//aes) gathers one of Africa’s largest concentrations of rock engravings, pecked into sandstone slabs over millennia by San hunter-gatherers. Rhinos, giraffes, lions and countless animal tracks cluster around a small perennial spring; the famous “Lion Man” panel is a highlight.

Notable Features

◦ Namibia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site
◦ Thousands of San engravings
◦ The famous “Lion Man” panel

Depicted Subjects

GiraffesRhinocerosesLionsHand Stencils

Plan a Visit

AccessThis cave can be visited.

Sources & Further Reading

≡ Wikipedia ✦ UNESCO listing ➤ Directions

Hours & prices change — always confirm on the official site before travelling.