Nswatugi Cave

Nswatugi Cave

Nswatugi Cave is a national monument.The name Nswatugi means “the place of jumping” as it is believed that Mwari / Mwali (God) jumped from his home at Njelele Mountain over the top of Nswatugi Hill and landing on Khalanyoni Hill.

The Cave

Nswatugi Cave opens at the end of a steep gully, the entrance is only six metres across, but the cave extends fourteen metres into the hill and contains beautiful friezes of giraffes, elephants and kudu in a wide range of colours. Two large shaded polychrome giraffe dominate the frieze with below a camp scene of figures asleep in their karosses. Below are six large kudu and a mass of figures including a zebra, crouched humans with others carrying weapons and lines of running hunters. On the right side of the frieze there is another polychrome giraffe and a group of zebra. Below the main frieze are a number of ovoids in ochre and red with stippling and white caps. On the extreme right of the panel are outlines of a zebra and the head of a kudu cow and on the far left are two superb antelope. Further back in a recess are two ovoids, or formlings and a feline. At the front of the cave are a faded giraffe outline, four antelope and a sable head