Narrative temporalities in a Bushman rock painting site

Abstract

Englsih: Proposing narrative readings of Bushman rock painting in terms of historical timeframes and narrative temporalities, this investigation of the consequences of musealisation at the Tandjesberg rock art site examines certain discursive functions of museum metaphors as emplotment schemes in historiography. In particular, the quasi-neutral use of the “panel” category for defining rock paintings in archaeology is critiqued. The final additions to the Tandjesberg rock paintings and possible connections with the politics of millennarian resistance receive special attention. Though the approach is essentially that of the history of art, it would seem that archaeology is subject to related ideologically charged discourses.

Afrikaans: Narratiewe lesings van Boesmanrotsskilderinge in terme van historiese tydraamwerke en narratiewe temporaliteite word in hierdie artikel beredeneer. Die uitwerking van musealisering op die Tandjesbergskuiling word ondersoek en die diskursiewe funksies van museummetafore as intrigeskema in die geskiedskrywing ontleed. Die kwasieneutrale aanwending van die begrip skilderkunstige “paneel” in die argeologie word vir kritiek uitgesonder. Spesiale aandag word gewy aan die laaste skilderinge by Tandjesberg en die moontlike verbande wat dit het met die politiek van chiliastiese verset. Die benadering is basies kunshistories, maar dit blyk dat die argeologie aan verwante ideologies-gelade diskoerse onderworpe is.