Ninth German Inner Africa Research Expedition

It recorded a large quantity of indigenous rock art, which helped Frobenius to build one of the most important collections of such work, some of which was sold to South African museums.

It also investigated ancient ore mines and provided samples for some of the first metallographic and chemical analysis of southern African indigenous metals.

[9] These, together with a series of engravings, were exhibited in Pretoria over Christmas at events attended by South African leaders Jan Smuts and James Hertzog.

[8] Upon his return to Germany Frobenius published two substantial accounts of the expedition as Madsimu Dsangara, Südafrikanische Felsbilderchroik and Erythräa, Länder und Zeiten des heiligen Königsmordes.

[7] From 17 January 1929 the expedition split into different parties: Frobenius and Jensen when to Southern Rhodesia and Mozambique by car and three of the painters went to Natal by train.

[8] Groups looked at rock art separately in Natal, the Cape Orange Free State, Basutoland, Northern and Southern Rhodesia and South West Africa.

[11] In all Frobenius and his team made reproductions (primarily in watercolour) of 2,000 articles of African rock art from across Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa.

In addition the expedition explored prehistoric tin and copper mines in the northern Transvaal and Rhodesia and samples of metals recovered were also tested by Szhulz.

It was found to be of a unique alloy with copper and zinc that provided a durable and corrosion resistant material, amenable to melting and casting.

[16] Schulz assessed several chisels and wedge tools that he found to be made of alternating layers of low and high carbon steel, similar to wrought iron.