Chongoni Rock-Art Area

The Chongoni Rock-Art Area in Malawi is a cultural landscape containing a large concentration of painted rock shelters and open-air rock-art sites representing a long sequence of artistic traditions. The property was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its outstanding continuity of rock art and continued cultural relevance.

The collection includes more than 120 painted sites featuring motifs produced by hunter-gatherers, early agriculturalists and later historic communities; subjects range from human figures and animals to abstract symbols. Many sites are located in limestone outcrops and forested hills with short access paths.

Academic study shows the artworks span a very long time depth and reflect changing social and ritual practices across the region; several sites remain linked to contemporary ritual use by local communities. Conservation focuses on protecting fragile paintings from weathering and human impact.

The rock-art area lies in Malawi’s Central Region within a rural landscape of low hills and farmland. Sites are reached by local roads and footpaths from nearby villages; access and visiting arrangements are commonly organised through local guides or cultural centres.

• Site density: More than 120 rock-art sites and shelters are recorded in the Chongoni area, making it one of the densest concentrations of rock art in southern Africa.
• Guided visits: Local guides provide access and explanations of the different painting traditions that continue to have cultural significance for present-day communities.