Approaches for Rock Art Interpretation and Public Presentation
Work Completed
In November and December 2007, a three-week workshop was held on rock art interpretation and presentation. The workshop was attended by sixteen participants from South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, most of whom were personnel at national and regional parks. The first week was spent in Johannesburg, based at the Rock Art Research Institute's Origins Centre, and in Pretoria with visits to a number of cultural and paleontological museums and sites open to visitation to assess their approaches to interpretation and presentation. Relevant case studies were also presented and evaluated.
The following two weeks were spent at Mapungubwe National Park. Activities centered around interpreting the results of research on rock art in the Limpopo-Shashe confluence area; assessing existing plans for the interpretation center of the park; writing a statement of significance for Mapungubwe National Park rock art; identifying the target audience and creating a visitor profile; establishing learning objectives for interpretation and presentation; and proposing a narrative for interpreting rock art in the park. The workshop concluded with participants drafting an interpretation plan, and designing signage, pamphlets, a website homepage, educational material, and a display for rock art at the new interpretation center being built at the park.