Rock Art Research
MANTIDS, SOUTHERN AFRICAN ROCK ART AND CONCEPTUAL ASSOCIATIONS WITH REFERENCE TO THE EVOLUTIONARY DEVELOPMENT HYPOTHESIS (EDH)
(1)
Evolutionary Studies Institute University of the Witwatersrand Private Bag 3, Johannesburg 2050 South Africa
Abstract
Mantids are insects that are well camouflaged in their natural habitats. It is proposed as a hypothesis that San in southern Africa associated them with the use of hunting disguises (camouflage) as well as with a ritual in which (anatomically) the ‘posture of the mantis’ is adopted. Reference is made to rock art from four particular sites: Medikane, Orange Springs, Fulton Rock Shelter and Apollo 11. It is recommended that, in the case of iconic Medikane therianthropes, concepts associated with ritual and (perhaps vestigial) aspects of the use of disguises be integrated.