Rock Art in Africa: Mythology and Legend

by Jean-Loic Le Quellec

African Cave Art is the only book of its kind to examine cave art throughout Africa. The paintings and engravings discovered in African caves are amazing works of art that hold clues to understanding the history of humankind. Jean-Loïc Le Quellec offers an expert analysis of this primitive art form, supplemented by photographs that capture the originality of prehistoric man's creativity. He divides Africa into four geographical the Sahara, the Horn and East Africa, Southern Africa, and the west and central continent. Each zone is characterized by a unique artistic and representational style, ranging from realism to modern symbolism. The author places the artworks into the context of their discovery by the great explorers and evokes legendary tales to elucidate these enduring traces of prehistory.

212 pages, Hardcover

First published November 27, 2004

About the author

Jean-Loïc Le Quellec est anthropologue, directeur de recherche émérite au CNRS. Spécialiste des images rupestres, il étudie leurs aspects mythologiques. Il est l’auteur notamment de Arts rupestres et mythologie en Afrique (2004, Flammarion), L’Homme de Lascaux (2018, Flammarion) et, en collaboration avec Bernard Sergent, le Dictionnaire critique de mythologie (2017, CNRS Éditions).