The Bahi Rock-Art Sites or Bahi rock paintings are

rock art In archaeology, rock art is human-made markings placed on natural surfaces, typically vertical stone surfaces. A high proportion of surviving historic and prehistoric rock art is found in caves or partly enclosed rock shelters; this type also ...

located at three sites in the

Dodoma region Dodoma Region (''Mkoa wa Dodoma'' in Swahili language, Swahili) is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative Regions of Tanzania, regions. The regional capital is the city of Dodoma. The region is located in central Tanzania, it is bordered by Singid ...

of Tanzania. These white paintings are believed to be products of the Wamia people, who occupied the region before the

Wagogo The Gogo/Gongwe (singular: mgogo, plural: Wagogo) are a Bantu ethnic and linguistic group based in the Dodoma Region of central Tanzania. In 1992 the Gogo population was estimated to number 1,300,00The Gogo have historically been predominantly pa ...

people (the current residents). The paintings, which depict cattle, human figures, stools, gourds, a bird, and an arrow, among other symbols, were supposedly executed during important occasions such as funerals. The Wagogo people, though not fully aware of the original significance of the paintings to the Wamia, have continued to use the sites as sacred locations for rain-making ceremonies. The Bahi paintings are estimated to be at least 340 years old based on the genealogy of the Bahi chief in 1929, which revealed the estimated time of his ancestor Kimanchambogo's arrival in the area. The white painting method is generally associated with Bantu-speaking farming populations.

References

Archaeological sites in Tanzania Rock art in Africa Geography of Dodoma Region Archaeological sites of Eastern Africa {{Tanzania-stub

See also

References