[2] The rock art sites are near the mountainous region of Dedza (1,600 metres (5,200 ft)) which is the highest town in Malawi (about (80 kilometres (50 mi)) south-east of Lilongwe[3]) which was settled during pre-historic times.

[1] Archaeological antiquaries of the early Stone Age period found in the area provides links to the Upper Pleistocene.

Artifacts dated to 2,500 BP have also been found establishing a Late Stone Age habitation of the site by hunter gatherers who are credited with creation of some of this rock art.

[1] After the area was declared a Forest Reserve in 1924 and boundaries of villages demarcated, the first rock art finding was reported in the 1930s, and later in 1950s details of a few sites were published.

[3] The rock art sites are categorized under four traditions, two belong to the BaTwa Pygmies, the earliest community of hunter gatherers, the agriculturists, the Ngoni invaders, and the colonizers.