GoKawiilResearchers identify first stenciled rock art in southern Africa at La Rochelle site
Archaeologists David Pearce of the University of the Witwatersrand and Kiah Johnson of Cambridge have identified stenciled figures at the La Rochelle rock shelter in Mpumalanga, South Africa, marking the first known example of stenciling in southern African rock art. Their findings, published in the South African Archaeological Bulletin, note the images were made using a template rather than tracing an actual object, a technique that is rare even in global rock art traditions.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The discovery could reshape understanding of the techniques used by ancient artists in a region whose rock art is otherwise dominated by painted figures, suggesting a broader range of artistic practices than previously documented. Because the shelter had been repurposed for other uses over time, the find also hints that similar stenciled works may remain unrecognized at other sites that researchers have not closely examined.
- First confirmed stenciled rock art found in southern Africa, at La Rochelle in Mpumalanga.
- The stencils appear to have been created using a template rather than an actual object, an unusual method globally.
- Findings published by David Pearce and Kiah Johnson in the South African Archaeological Bulletin.
Source: phys.org — Sandee Oster, 2026-10-27
Published there as: “Southern Africa's first known stenciled rock art found hiding in plain sight”
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