Brandberg White Lady in Arixa Ams, Namibia

In 1917, German explorer Reinhard Maack discovered a group of rock paintings while surveying Brandberg Mountain in the northwestern Namibian desert. Forced to take shelter one night in a rocky outcropping, Maack awoke the next morning to find a wall of primitive rock paintings. Believed to be 2,000 years old, the Brandberg paintings were drawn with charcoal, crushed sandstone, animal blood, hematite, manganese, and other natural materials. Casein and egg white were used as binders. The decorated rock wall area measures approximately 18 by 5 feet. Amazingly, and with little protection from the elements, the paintings have survived with only minor fading. Central to the Brandberg panel is a human figure larger than the others, appearing to be a white-skinned woman. In fact, it is neither. The figure measures 15.6 by 11.4 inches. It is believed to depict a shaman or medicine man. He has white arms and legs, which may indicate body paint or ceremonial attire. He holds a bow in one hand and a goblet or chalice in the other. The ornaments on his arms and legs could indicate a ritual dance. However, the bow and oryxes might imply a hunting scene. Rock painting and drawing were intended as methods of communication among nomadic groups and conveyed practical information, such as hunting success and the location of watering holes. The Brandberg painting depicts a group of people and animals. The animals include oryx, zebra, and blue wildebeest. Some figures seem to be hybrids of animals and humans, such as an oryx with human legs. These creatures seem to indicate a shaman’s mystical ability to shape-shift. The painting received no international attention until 1955, when Abbe Henri Breuil copied it. He entitled his subsequent academic paper and book, “The White Lady of Brandberg,” and the gender appellation stuck. It was originally thought to be of Mediterranean origin. Still, subsequent analysis suggests the painting is a work of the San people, hunter-gatherers who lived in the area thousands of years ago. Brandberg Mountain is a significant spiritual site to the San Bushmen. The location of the rock wall art is now a protected Namibian heritage site. After decades of wear and tear by tourists, two horizontal metal bars protect the art while permitting complete viewing.