Etched in Stone

The granite hills of Zimbabwe are a storehouse of ancient Rock Art. The extraordinary images found painted in caves and overhangs are the legacy of southern Africa's first human inhabitants.

The artists are no more but many of their paintings have survived intact for thousands of years. It is art that resounds with the lives of the artists, painted on the very walls that gave them shelter. These paintings allow us to peer into the lives of our ancient ancestors, to ponder their rituals and religion, to see the animals they hunted and to see the world through their eyes. Who were the artists? How old are the paintings? How were they made? What do they mean? Why were they painted? This video attempts to answer some of these questions. It is an introduction to the remarkable art of the ancient African world. Filmmaker Ralph Stutchbury spent four years gathering material for this film. He visited over fifty rock art sites all over Zimbabwe.Ralph

The informative script is gleaned from personal observation and from the work of many dedicated experts who have studied the subject throughout southern Africa. Foremost among these are Peter Garlake, Nick Walker and David Lewis-Williams. Ralph Stutchbury is a filmmaker based in Zimbabwe. He has produced work for National Geographic and the Discovery Channel.