Angola’s deep and layered human history is being further illuminated by new archaeological findings in the southern and central regions of the country. 

Archaeologists have documented the Ndalambiri rockshelter in Cuanza Sul Province, identifying it as one of Angola’s most significant rock art sites, with a continuous record of human activity stretching back more than 45,000 years. The site was designated as National Heritage in 1974.

The study, led by Isis Mesfin of the Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris, centred on a painted fresco spanning over 60 metres of granite walls. The spectacular artwork features nearly 1,200 distinct figures, executed in white, red, black, orange, brown, and yellow. 

The imagery, which includes human and animal figures, geometric motifs, and hybrid forms, reflects at least three separate phases of painting. One notable phase corresponds to the colonial period, depicting figures holding firearms. Radiocarbon dating of a charcoal painting placed this phase between 1669 and 1950 CE.

Excavations at the shelter meanwhile revealed a 2.5-metre sequence of soil layers, yielding over 2,300 recorded artefacts. This stratigraphic evidence charts occupation from the Late Stone Age up to the 19th century. 

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Crucially, the site offers the earliest confirmed proof of iron production in Angola, dated to at least the fifth century CE, with discoveries including slag, tuyere fragments, and forged tools. Faunal remains found at the Ndalambiri rockshelter also indicate continuous settlement, evidenced by the consumption of tortoises and the presence of domesticated cattle and goats alongside remains of hunted wild species.

In terms of modern preservation, the research team created Angola’s first 3D photogrammetric scan of a rock art site, which resulted in a high-resolution digital model intended to aid conservation efforts. The work was part of a field school programme, providing training to undergraduate students from the Instituto Superior de Ciências da Educação in Sumbe, the provincial capital.

The Ndalambiri findings are part of a broader archaeological movement in Angola. Another key location is the TchitunduHulu complex in Namibe Province, which features some of the country’s oldest known rock art. 

This site, which includes both paintings and petroglyphs, has been under consideration for UNESCO World Heritage status since 2017, highlighting Angola’s increasing importance beyond its natural resource wealth.