‘Varimu Valale’: Rock Art as World Heritage in a Ritual Landscape of Central Tanzania

Kondoa-Irangi's rock art, spanning from at least 3,500 years ago to the 'Late Whites' created within the last 200 years, forms a significant ritual landscape in Central Tanzania. While local accounts highlight only two clusters of sites with rock art, the broader area is deeply embedded with ancestral clanspirits like Rangi and Alagwa, underscoring its cultural and spiritual importance. Mungumi wa Kolo, a flagship site for Kondoa-Irangi's rock art, is poised to be nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status due to its ritual significance. This study, conducted in 2001, aimed to explore the local engagement with these sites, revealing their multifaceted role beyond mere artistic expression.

Chalcraft, J. (2020). ‘Varimu Valale’: Rock Art as World Heritage in a Ritual Landscape of Central Tanzania. The Qualities of Time, 35–53. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003135449-4