Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Researchers have identified two small, stencil-like human figures at La Rochelle (also known as Klein Buffelspruit), a rock shelter near Carolina in Mpumalanga, South Africa. A 2026 report calls this the first published account of apparent stencilled rock art in southern Africa. The figures are negative images: red pigment surrounds unpainted forms about 9 centimetres tall, suggesting that paint was blown or splashed around a template. Their age, maker, purpose, cultural affiliation and template material remain unknown.
What was found at La Rochelle?
David G. Pearce of the Rock Art Research Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand and Kiah Johnson of the University of Cambridge describe two apparent human figures in the South African Archaeological Bulletin, volume 81 (224), published in 2026. The shelter is near Carolina in Mpumalanga and is also known as Klein Buffelspruit.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsEach figure is approximately 9 centimetres high. The forms have indistinct heads and simple, stick-like torsos and limbs. The authors consider them probably human, but they do not present them as securely identified portraits, named individuals or members of a known community.
The report is a first published record, not proof that no other stencils exist elsewhere in southern Africa. Faint images may have escaped earlier notice, especially at shelters that have been repeatedly visited or recorded under difficult lighting.
Popular on Amazon
- 【90 Degree Full Function USB C Adapter】Supports the latest USB4 standard for up to 40Gbps of bandwidth, 8K video support, and up to 240W Fast charging; Support USB PD 3.1 Extended Power Range (EPR) including 140W, 180W and 240W. Your productivity is easily doubled. *Warm Tip: For the best fit, please make sure the USB-C port is fully exposed; thick or bulky cases may affect compatibility.
- 【Reliable Quality】Made from high-quality, scratch-resistant aluminum alloy, delicate metal frame. get excellent wear resistance and heat dissipation. Non-Slip Design for easier insertion and removal.
- 【Small and portable】Ultra thin size, ultra compact design, a petite physique that matches the minimalist design of your modern laptops. Coming with a slim figure that won't block the port next to the one it's plugged into.
- 【Compatibility】Widely work with most usb c, thunderbolt 4/3 devices. Compatibilit for ROG Ally, Steam Deck, Switch, MacBook Pro, Quest 3 VR headset, Surface Book 2, iPhone 18/17/16/15, Samsung Galaxy S23/S22/S21, Note 20/10, Google Pixel, ChromeBook, etc.
- 【Excellence Customer Support】If you experience any issues or cable failure, simply reach out to our dedicated customer service team. We provide a prompt response within 18 hours, providing you with the necessary technical support to resolve any concerns.
What is stenciled rock art?
In a stencil image, the maker places an object or template against a surface and applies pigment around it. When the template is removed, the covered area remains unpainted while the surrounding paint forms the image. This is the reverse of a conventional painted figure, in which pigment is applied directly inside the outline.
At La Rochelle, the visible red pigment is dispersed around the bare shapes and does not form the hard, deliberate edge expected from a brush line. Those traits led the researchers to infer that paint was blown or splashed around a template. The inference concerns how the image was made; it does not identify what the template was.
How do archaeologists know the figures may be stencils?
The conclusion rests on image formation rather than on a surviving tool. The figures are unpainted shapes surrounded by pigment, and the paint distribution appears diffuse rather than brushed. Together, these observations are consistent with spraying or blowing pigment around an object.
Also popular on Amazon
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
The researchers photographed the marks and used D-Stretch software to enhance faint pigment in false-colour images. They report that the figures can be seen with the naked eye and in ordinary photographs, although preservation is poor. Digital enhancement helps reveal weak colour variation; it does not supply a date or prove the identity of the artist.
Because the images do not overlap other paintings, superposition cannot establish whether they are older or newer than nearby art. The paper therefore treats the stencil interpretation as supported by visible characteristics while leaving chronology and meaning unresolved.
How old are the La Rochelle figures?
No established date is available. The approximately 9-centimetre measurement describes the figures’ size, not their age. The authors cannot assign them to a particular period, community or rock-art tradition from the evidence currently documented.
Also popular on Amazon
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Possible template materials, including clay or beeswax, are discussed as possibilities rather than findings. There is no recovered template, pigment recipe, associated artefact or secure archaeological deposit that would identify when the images were made.
What does the shelter’s modern history mean for the evidence?
La Rochelle is locally known as a tourist destination and has a complicated recent history. It was used for a Voortrekker centenary commemoration in 1938; a plaque and time capsule were later removed. The shelter floor was levelled and concreted, wooden pews were installed, and church services have periodically taken place there.
The report says intact archaeological deposits are unlikely to survive beneath the concrete. That limits the prospects for recovering datable material from the floor and makes the faint wall images especially important as the primary evidence. Modern use also underlines why identifying an image’s age from appearance alone would be unsafe.
Also popular on Amazon
- Portable and powerful USB-C HUB: BENFEI USB Type-C HUB, with super-soft and knot-free silicone woven design cable, meets most mobile office needs. Compact, lightweight, stylish, and powerful portable USB C Hub equipped with 1 x HDMI port, 1 x 100W charging, and 3 x USB ports. 18-month warranty, 24-hour response, to ensure you feel at ease when using our product.
- Design centered on comfort and reliability: Thanks to BENFEI's end-to-end in-house cable production capability, in-house PCBA and assembly capability, using the industry's most advanced silicone woven design and process, 20cm cable in length, no knots, super-soft, the HUB is easy to use in all scenarios: laptop, tablet, stand etc. Super-soft, 25000+ life cycles, to meet your daily carrying and office needs.
- 100W Charging: Support up to 90W USB C pass-through charging via Type-C port to keep your laptop powered. 10W is reserved for other interface operations. No data and video function on the Type-C port.
- 4K HDMI Display: The HDMI port supports media display at resolutions up to 4K 30Hz, keeping every incredible moment detailed and ultra vivid. Please note that the C port of the Host device needs to support video output.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Transfer files and from your laptop at speeds up to 10 Gbps with USB A 3.2 port. Extra 2 USB A 2.0 ports are perfectly for your keyboards and mouse.
Why is this discovery significant?
Rock art in the region includes multiple traditions and techniques, but the authors say this is the first published report of stencilled rock art in southern Africa. A negative image made around a template differs materially from a figure drawn with a brush, finger or other direct application: the crucial evidence is the unpainted form and surrounding pigment.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
That distinction is significant without requiring a dramatic claim about the artists. The figures may eventually help researchers understand how widely image-making techniques circulated, but the current report does not establish a cultural affiliation, ritual function or connection to San or any other named tradition. The authors’ abstract states that “The meaning or affiliations of the image is unknown.”
Pearce recalled that recognition was gradual: “I wasn’t entirely sure what I was looking at for a while,” he said, adding, “Then they popped into focus, a bit like optical illusions do.” The comment captures both the discovery’s appeal and its evidential caution: the marks were visible, yet subtle enough to remain overlooked.
Also popular on Amazon
- 【Read before You Buy】 Note: This adapter is USB 2.0 version and cannot transmit HDM, VGA, or other video signals. Nevertheless, they are fully capable of charging devices,duplicating files, and can be seamlessly integrated with USB-C earphones, wireless network adapters, and SD card adapters.
- 【Easy to Use and Safe】Thanks to modern manufacturing techniques, we've made these adapters sufficiently compact so that they can remain inserted in your device without noticeable protrusion or inconvenience. This means you don't have to constantly plug and unplug them, reducing the likelihood of wear and misalignment, and making them more convenient to carry around.
- 【Reliable Quality】Engineered for enhanced durability, durable aluminum alloy shell material,get excellent wear resistance and heat dissipation,the male USB C and female USB connectors & the male USB and female USB C connectors are designed to be plugged and unplugged up to 20000 times. Provides data transfer, device charging, memory space expansion, and additional computer peripherals.
- 【Think more for you】Do you need to connect a USB-C-enabled device to an odd device that only has USB-A ports? Then these USB-A male to USB-C female adapters are made for you.Simply insert the adapter into the USB-A port on the device, and you can instantly connect your USB-C device to the device that originally didn't have the correct connection port.
- 【Trusted xiwxi Quality and Service】As a responsible brand seller, you will receive xiwxi's 12-month Quality assurance and lifetime friendly customer service, you're not just buying a product,you're investing in peace of mind with all-round quality and exceptional customer service.
What can be concluded—and what cannot?
- Supported: two faint, red-surrounded figures occur at La Rochelle; each is about 9 centimetres tall; they are probably human; their formation is consistent with stencilling.
- Not established: an age, maker, cultural affiliation, purpose, template material or relationship to a specific regional rock-art tradition.
- Important qualification: “first” means first published report identified by the authors, not proof that the technique never appeared elsewhere.
Further interpretation will require careful documentation, conservation assessment and, if suitable material can be found without damaging the images, independent chronological or compositional evidence. Until then, the La Rochelle figures are best understood as a rare and technically distinctive discovery whose central historical questions remain open.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where exactly were the stenciled figures found?
They were documented at La Rochelle, also called Klein Buffelspruit, a rock shelter near Carolina in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province. The shelter is a known local tourist destination and has also been used for commemorations and church services.
Are the figures definitely human hand stencils?
No. The researchers describe them as probably human and likely made around a template, but no template survives. Their small size, indistinct heads and stick-like limbs support the cautious identification rather than a definitive one.
Could the figures be modern additions?
The published report does not establish a date, so it cannot rule out any period solely from the images. Their poor preservation and the shelter’s modern history make chronology an open question; no secure archaeological deposit or superposition sequence dates them.
What is D-Stretch used for in rock-art research?
D-Stretch is image-enhancement software that makes subtle pigment differences easier to see by producing false-colour views. It can improve documentation of faint marks, but enhancement itself does not determine an image’s age or meaning.
