Early South Indian Palaeography c8.s2.49

c8.s2.49

The paintings of the Bushmen of South Africa depict hunting scenes in which elephants, long haired bovines, lions, antelopes and other wild animals are found. One fine instance of Bushman painting shows a herd of ostriches of different colours. "A close inspection, however, reveals that one of the birds has 'human' legs, and peeping out from among the feathers a bow and arrow can be seen". This 'bird' is a bushman, out on a hunt, and to be able to get to the proximity of the birds, has disguised himself, putting on an ostrich skin. When George W. Stow showed a copy of this picture to a modern bushman he could readily explain: "Ostriches, three black males two blue females. The 'Nusy Bushmen' not the 'Kham Bushmen are said to hunt in Ostrich skins".⁶⁰ The Bushman paintings show attempts at perspective through fore-shortening, though some exhibit difficulties therein; they further depict the profile, the front view and, above all, the back view. One of the finer specimens shows both the animals, and the hunters are drawn with appreciable care for form and perspective.⁶¹