NATURAL MYSTICAL TABLE MOUNTAIN AND THE AFRICAN ANCESTOR SHADOW FACE

Do you see a shadow that looks like human face profile in the picture below?

Bright sunlit view of the rugged cleft buttresses and scattard vegetation on the east side of Table Mountain showing deep shadows one of which resembles the profile of a person.
The East Side of Table Mountain showing the shadow face at left of picture.

Some normal sighted people don't see pareidolia images as quickly as others so this picture has a red outline overlay showing the position of the shadow face.
Here is the natural mystical shadow face on Table Mountain, outlined above in red.

Isn't this amazing!!

I first saw this shadow face image in 2015 and, after further investigation, published images and audio online in 2017.

I believe I am the first person to discover, identify and describe this magical mystical African 'dawn' shadow face image.

I respect that Table Mountain is a sacred heritage site of the First Nations people of South Africa.

I further believe the shadow face profile image is a representation of a First Nation ancestor.

Table Mountain is also one of the UNESCO new 7 Wonders of the World!

Amazing to think this magical natural event has probably been occurring for hundreds if not thousands of years and has not been published by anyone, before me, until now in the 21st Century.

Being in "the right place at the right time", is one thing but then not everyone is able to "see" a pareidolia image until it is pointed out to them by someone than can see these mysterious images so I published these images here, on my web site.

Enjoy !

The African "dawn" shadow face profile that appears just after dawn on Table Mountain
(photo Martin Lovis 2020) but only for a few days each year.

African Shadow face on Table Mountain by Martin Lovis

Play Time: 43 seconds. File Size: 36.2MB.

colour photo showing the east side (Fernwood) of Table Mountain featuring the African 'dawn' shadow face showing on the face of the Fernwood buttress.
Do you think the mystical African 'dawn' Shadow Face (above)
could be an image reflective of an ancestor of one of the
'First Nations' (Koi-San) people of South Africa? (Photo:Martin Lovis. 2017)

play_khoisan_sunrise_mystical_beats_table_mountain_three_by_martin_lovis.mp4 from Martin Lovis on Vimeo.

Time Lapse Video. Play Time: 4 minutes 35 seconds. File Size: 154 MB.

So where and when can the mystical African 'dawn' Shadow face be seen on Table Mountain?

Panoramic view of five buttresses on Table Mountain east side with their names overlaid in white colour text.
The names of five of the several buttresses on the east side of Table Mountain.

The African "dawn" Shadow Face on Table Mountain is a type of optical illusion known and is a natural and mystical phenomenon caused, in this instance, by the angle of sunlight shining on Protea Buttress which casts the pareidolia shadow face image onto Fernwood Buttress.

But, as you will see below, there is more than one face on the mystical East Side of Table Mountain.

This African dawn Shadow face is an annual event that appears for only a few weeks every year and can be seen on the east side of Table Mountain beginning just after dawn at the Vernal Equinox that heralds in the Spring (September 22nd 2025) and ends a few weeks later. Depending on the viewing location line and the time of day, a slightly different face shape appears.

The sandstone foundation of Table Mountain began forming underwater over 500 million years ago and then, about 150 million years later, it became a mountain island in the sea and then it became a mountain on a peninsula as we see it today.

The original indigenous Khoi-san people of the Cape of South Africa call Table Mountain "Hoerikwaggo" which means "Mountain in the Sea" and so their ancestors were obviously living in the area at the time and saw then a mountain island surrounded by the sea and not a mountain on a land peninsula as it appears today.

Below is a series of photographs taken over several weeks showing the gradual appearance and disappearance of the natural mystical shadow face profile of Table Mountain.

Be UPLIFTED and INSPIRED - this is NOT a hoax !

The following pictures are a sequence taken at different times of the day on different days.

Sunlit view of the five buttresses with craggy outcrops throwing deep shadows out of one of which the shadow face is gradually forming.

Warm sunlit bathed view over Newlands forest of four protruding buttresses and the shadow face has nose eys and forehead but lips not fully formed.

The buttresses on cold clear sunlit morning four with blue shadows showing the face in sharp almost African ceremonial mask like appearance.

Fernwood and Protea buttresses swathed in warm sunlight under azure blue sky and shadow face almost fully formed to look more recognizeable as a face profile.

Panoramic view of buttresses in hazy warm sunshine with the shadow face fully formed resembling the features of a face in profile.

Dramatic warm sunlit view overlooking Newlands forest under dappled sunlight with tablecloth cloud covering most of the buttresses and partly covering the shadow face.

Panoramic view over the Newlands forest valley to Table mountain in the distance showing the African shadow face fully formed in clear autumnal sunlight. Mystical!!!
The Mystical Shadow Face profile shape is now fully formed.
After the face shape fully forms it then it gradually alters over the following days until,
as the sun changes angle, it eventually disappears, until the same time next year.
Amazing!

Closer up view of Fernwood and Protea buttresses swathed in warm autumn sunlight looking deeper into the shadow that still forms the shadow face.

Close up view of the shadow face shadow between Fernwood and Protea buttresses still shows an African resemblance.

Craggy buttresses sit up proud in early morning sun showing deep shadows and the face changing shape again under a cool blue sky with high wispy white cirrus clouds.

Mountain buttresses basking in cool hazy blue light with deep grey blue shadows and the mystical face changed into just a new shadow shape.
On this day the shadow face looks more like a African mask.

The five East Side buttresses stand out cold and grey against pale blue sky with high cirrus clouds and show almost no shadows on or between the craggy buttresses with no shadow face at all.

Table Mountain has its own micro climate which makes it interesting to watch and challenging to photograph.

Conditions for photography are perfect one moment but then can change suddenly and dramatically.

Dramatic view showing patches of sun light and shade on the mountain and forest casued by sunlight filtering through overhead grey clouds that cast cloud shadows on the mountain and forest in streaks of light and shade.
This dramatic shadow effect only occurs on one day each year.

Mountain buttresses almost completly covered in heavy rain clouds and the forest below is covered in a low hanging mist.

Panoramic distant view of Table Mountain east side Devil's Peak under blue green haze on a clear sunny day with clear blue sky overhead.
There is often a blue haze after noon due to climatic conditions on the mountain.

The mountain buttresses in the distance with a long narrow strip of white clouds about half way up the mountainside on bright sunny day.

High tops of Fernwood, Protea and Hiddingh buttresses almost completly covered in low white clouds with patches of sunlight filtering through the clouds onto the Fernwood and Protea buttresses.

Moonlight reflected on buttresses of Table Mountain with red and white stars above and tiny house in the distance at the foot of the mountain with their house lights on.
Moonlight on the east side of Table Mountain.

Moon setting in blue sky at sunrise over the east side of table mountain.
Sun rise at Moon set.

Moon setting and sun rising on east side of Table Mountain, South Africa by Martin Lovis..mp4 from Martin Lovis on Vimeo.

Time Lapse Video. Play Time: 33 seconds. File Size: 16.6MB.

Play_misty_mystical_table_mountain_by_Martin_Lovis..mp4 from Martin Lovis on Vimeo.

Time Lapse Video. Play Time: 68 seconds. File Size 34.1 MB.

Harsh rugged craggy buttress outcrops showing pale grey sandstone layers and green patches of vegetation on the slopes.
The Hiddingh and Erica buttresses.

Soft light view of craggy outcrops of heavy weatheresBeautiful distant view of the buttresses under clear sunlight showing the craggy effect of thousands of years erosion of the sandstone layers with Newlands forest trees dark green on the lower slopes of the mountain side.
The Hiddingh, Erica and Els buttresses.

The six main buttresses of Table Mountain east side seen from a distance on a clear sunny day under blue sky with some high white clouds.
from left, Window, Fernwood, Protea, Hiddingh, Erica and Els buttresses.

view of the main buttresses on the east side of table mountain

Close up view of the natural sandstone rock formation on top of the buttress that resemble the body of a cokeral followed by smaller chicks.
This gorge between the Window And Fernwood buttresses is called "The Cockerel and Chicks". Can you guess why?

Close up view under morning light that has a red orange colouration with green vegetation covering most of the rocky outcrops of the buttress.
There is a waterfall running down past the Cockerel and Chicks.

Nursery buttress at sundown behind in dark sillouette clearly showing the cockerel and chicks outlined on the horizon.
The Cockerel and Chicks just before sundown.

Closer view of the buttresses under warm yellow morining sun with Newlands forest trees creeping up the mountain slopes and a tiny rock formation in the horizon called The Pulpit.
Erica and Els buttresses and "The Pulpit".

Closer view of The Pulpit, that resembles a church lecturn, standing up on its own on the mountain horizon beween Els buttress and Devil's Peak.
The Pulpit.

Hazy blue green view with tiny figure of a person on top of The Pulpit waving and shows just how huge is The Pulpit
The Pulpit (maximum zoom with low resolution camera) showing someone standing on top!

East side of Table Mountain on warm sunny day with different shades of green vegetation in the valley below the mountain and on its sides.

The mountain under cloud looks sombre grey brown but some of the forest valley below is in bright sunshine.

Clear light view of Fernwood and Protea buttresses on clear sunny day with dark shadows and craggy sandstone layers clearly defined showing undulations in the formation of the layers.

Very close up view under bright yellow reflected sunlight on undulating sandstone layers that make up Table Mountain and shows years of erosion and distortions that are partly covered in green vegetation.
These sedimentary (sandstone) layers are millions of years old.

Closer view of the tops of the Fernwood and Protea buttresses in clear sunlight showing tall trees on top and craggy sandstone layers below.

Very close view of the sandstone sedimentary layers that form Table Mountain.

Very close view of the sandstone sedimentary layers showing the centuries old upheaval of the formation of Table Mountain.

Close up view of the sedimentary sandstone layers coloured pale grey and ochre brown with green vegetation growing on the ledges and in the crevices.

Distant view of a fire in Newlands forest with a rising column of blue white smoke and a bright yellow helicopter dropping water in spray onto the smoke.
The Working on Fire organization water bombing a fire by helicopter on Table Mountain, The pilot of this yellow helicopter was tragically killed a few weeks after this photograph was taken when his helicopter crashed on the mountain as he was putting out a fire. Please click on the Working on Fire link to find out more about the Working On Fire Organization.

The tiny size of the helicopter gives an indication to scale about how huge Table Mountain, east side, actually is!

Visit The Sleeping Giants on Table Mountain ART GALLERY 4 - HERE

A 'Sleeping Giant' face on Fernwood Buttress

Visit Cape Town Garden Wildlife ART GALLERY 6 - HERE

A beautiful white Gardenia flower in full bloom

A very large Common Mantis insect - harmless to humans but deadly to other insects

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Visit the - Martin Lovis Art Archives - Gallery 7 - HERE

The Directors of the apartheid era Christian National Calvinistic Afrikaner Republic of South Africa

Birago Diop, Tales of Amadou Koumba, Longman Drumbeat Classics

The Turning propaganda on its head, feature article by Gill Garb, New African magazine August 1980.

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Visit the ABOUT MARTIN LOVIS information page - HERE

Martin Lovis, London, 1985

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