Apollo 11 Cave, Prehistoric art cave in Karas region, Namibia

Apollo 11 Cave is a rock overhang rather than a true cave, in the Huns Mountains of southern Namibia, about 250 km southwest of Keetmanshoop. Excavations there uncovered seven painted quartzite slabs, the Apollo 11 Stones, now kept at the National Museum of Namibia in Windhoek. The slabs are small, roughly hand-sized, and carry figures in charcoal, ochre and white.

German archaeologist Wolfgang Wendt discovered the site in 1969 and named it after the Apollo 11 moon mission. Excavations revealed that people lived and created art at this location across a long span of millennia.

The paintings found here show animals and hybrid figures created by early inhabitants using simple techniques. These images offer a window into how the people who lived in this region thousands of years ago saw and understood the world around them.

The location is remote near Keetmanshoop and requires planning to visit. The main artifacts are displayed at the National Museum of Namibia in Windhoek, so visiting both places helps you understand the complete story.

The paintings combine human legs with antelope and feline heads, an unusual depiction that may have held spiritual meaning. Such hybrid figures are rare in prehistoric art and reveal the complex thinking of the early artists.