19 Mar 2026

A documentary celebrating Botswana’s iconic Tsodilo Hills has returned home following a successful international debut in New York City.

Tsodilo: The Jewel of the Desert premiered locally on Tuesday at the Botswana National Museum and Monuments, marking 25 years since the site was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Produced by Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) and directed by Sosena Solomon, the documentary was first screened at The Met on May 31 last year, where it has since attracted an audience of over two million viewers.

Often referred to as the “Louvre of the Desert,” Tsodilo Hills is renowned for its profound spiritual and cultural importance to the San and Hambukushu communities. 

The film captures this significance while showcasing more than 4 500 rock paintings created over tens of thousands of years across the site’s towering quartzite formations.The artworks, many of them finger-painted, depict animals such as giraffes, cattle and rhinos, as well as rare therianthropic (human-animal hybrid) figures that reflect a deep spiritual relationship between people and their environment.

Through interviews with anthropologists, archaeologists and local experts, the documentary also highlights the urgent need for preservation. The paintings are increasingly threatened by natural elements such as sun, wind and rain, as well as human interference. In some cases, attempts by locals to “revive” the artworks for spiritual purposes have unintentionally accelerated their deterioration.

Speaking at the premiere, Solomon said filmmaking was a powerful tool for cultural preservation.

“When this project was introduced to me, it was incredible to use my skills to tell these stories and explore heritage that many people are not aware of,” she said.

Meanwhile, Alisa LaGamma, curator in charge of the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing at The Met, emphasised the global importance of Tsodilo Hills.

“It is the place where the visual arts begin. Tsodilo is a treasure that preserves evidence of early attempts to capture something magical,” she said.

LaGamma added that the film is accessible to visitors at The Met and on digital platforms such as YouTube. She also confirmed that Botswana’s Department of National Museum and Monuments has been granted full rights to distribute and use the film.

The documentary is scheduled to tour Shakawe and Tsodilo Hills starting Friday, bringing the story closer to the communities at the heart of its heritage. ENDS