The rock paintings of the Upper Brandberg. Part V, Naib Gorge (A) and the Northwest

This is the fifth volume of Harald Pager's documentation of rock art in the Brandberg in Namibia. It concludes the publication on the northern sector of the mountain, the final two volumes will cover its western areas. This book is about a region of the Brandberg which encompasses one of the best known places in the mountain (Engelhard Plateau) but also other gorges which are so unknown that neither Damara, Herero nor European names have hitherto been recorded for them (Märchen, Porters and Raiders Gorges). These are small gorges in terms of extent and also in terms of rock art sites - nevertheless they contain unique paintings. Naib, on the other hand, is a particularly large rock art area: there are 179 sites in this gorge with more than 9000 figures in them. So Naib Gorge was divided into two separate parts for the publication, i.e. parts A and B. This volume contains Naib (A) only while part B will follow in the next volume. Among the pictures are some of the best preserved paintings in the Brandberg which have hitherto remained completely unknown. But also "Crane Rock" is a veritable jewel in which cranes, rain, a serpent, klippspringers and a palm tree are inimitably composed into large abstract motifs. All this can be seen on one of the nine large folded plates.