Uganda news update – Historical rock paintings found in Karamoja

NEW CAVE PAINTINGS FOUND IN NORTH EASTERN UGANDA

The cultural aspects of tourism to Uganda have for long been underestimated and underexploited, inspite of some feeble attempts to organize regular tours to see the seats of the working kingdoms in Uganda or else make more of the pilgrimage potential of the annual ‘Martyr’s Day’ when Uganda honours the Christians unwilling put this world’s rulers before Jesus and were subsequently burned alive by a former Buganda king trying to make an example of them.

The latest find, discovered only days ago, has excited researchers into the ancient art of rock paintings, as they are apparently associated to Cushitic tribes-people who may have wandered into the Karamoja area as far back as 3.000 years.  A combined team comprising Ugandan experts from the Uganda Museum, the Department of Antiques, Museums and Monuments and Italian researchers from the Universities of Toscana and Florence, made the discovery and have documented their find with pictures, as they now embark on paint analysis in the laboratories and try to match their find to others made in the region of Karamoja but also in Ethiopia, to ascertain the origins of the ‘artists’ and the timelines.

For those interested to visit the scene, contact the Uganda Tourist Board at www.visituganda.com to find out when the site will become available for tourists to see.