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Written by Lyn Wadley and Ghilraen Laue
This new book, published in December 2025 and written by Lyn Wadley & Ghilraen Laue, describes over 120 rock art sites recorded in the Waterberg. Richly illustrated with several hundred full colour photographs and line drawings, many of the images digitally enhanced to show features no longer visible to the naked eye. This 350 page book provides detailed descriptions of many individual rock art panels and presents an interpretation of the themes and customs symbolised in the prolific art of the region. An understanding of the ethnographic background of the artists enables an understanding of many previously enigmatic or seemingly meaningless features illustrated on the rocks.
Published by Wits University Press. Recommended retail price R495 (including VAT), thanks to sponsorship from the Mapula Trust. Available from booksellers, or from the Black Mamba in Vaalwater or Lilies & Limes on the road between Modimolle & Vaalwater. Orders can also be placed with Blue Weaver Marketing (021 701 4477; orders@blueweaver.co.za .
Compiled by The Waterberg Tree Group
A companion volume to Wildflowers of the Waterberg and compiled by members of the same team, this 350 page book describes and illustrates in full colour 317 species of trees, shrubs, climbers and suffrutices that occur in this topographically diverse mountainous region of South Africa. As in the flower book, species are grouped by family and families are arranged phylogenetically. Most species receive full page treatment in which the whole plant, its flowers, fruit, leaves and in some instances, ecologically important insects or birds are illustrated. Concise drawings of the leaves of each species provide an introduction to each chapter and maps show the recorded distributions of each species in the region.
Privately published. Recommended retail price: R480 (including VAT). Available from the Black Mamba in Vaalwater, Lilies & Limes on the road between Modimolle and Vaalwater, or it can be ordered direct from waterbergflora@gmail.com.
Written by Richard Wadley – 2019
Waterberg Echoes”, written by Richard Wadley, including a chapter on archaeology by Professor Lyn Wadley, is a comprehensive history of the Waterberg region, published by Protea Books in 2019. With over 800 pages, the book covers every aspect of the history of the plateau from the earliest times until the recent past and is profusely illustrated with maps, photographs and artists’ impressions. It is obtainable from all major booksellers or directly from the publishers at www.proteaboekwinkel.com or via sales_online@proteaboekwinkel.com.
Copies of the book are also available from the author at yeldaw@mweb.co.za.
Compiled and Edited by Richard Wadley – 2023
“Waterberg Ways”, compiled and edited by Richard Wadley in 2023, is a compilation of anecdotes and reminiscences by past and present Waterberg residents, some published previously in English or Afrikaans and long out of print, others drawn from unpublished manuscripts and several commissioned especially for this volume. 29 tales from 17 contributors make up this 300-page collection, sourced, compiled and edited by a Waterberg resident of over 20 years, illustrated with photographs, maps and specially commissioned pen & ink sketches.
Available at local Waterberg book shops or from the author at yeldaw@mweb.co.za.
Compiled and Edited by Lyn Wadley, Linda Willemse, Kerry Baytopp,
Jonathan Swart, Joseph Heymans, Warwick & Michèle Tarboton – 2021
Wildflowers of the Waterberg” was compiled by seven authors all resident in the region and published privately in 2021. The book contains over 2000 superb photographic and line drawing illustrations of the 661 wild flower species most likely to be encountered in the Waterberg, each accompanied by a concise description of characteristics needed to aid in identification. A colour guide at the back of the book serves as a quick means to home in on likely candidates.
Although now out of print, a pdf version of the book is available for free download on the website
www.waterberg-bioquest.co.za.
A companion volume on shrubs and trees of the Waterberg is in compilation.