Head

Nok It's not an ethnic group,is a small village in northern Nigeria, in the Zaria region. Its culture extends on the vast Bauchi plateau, at the confluence of the Niger and Benué rivers, instead of where there were numerous tin mines.

The terracottas Nok have been dated, mostly, between the centuries IV A.C. a II D.C. Different styles have appeared but the data necessary to know whether they correspond to one or several cultures are not available, as they have been found almost interchangeably in the different excavation centers. This great diversity of styles suggests that they have been able to devote themselves to different purposes, funeral or cult.

The configuration of the eyes and eyebrows as well as perforations of the eyes, noses and ears is a common feature of most worksNok. Pupils are well pierced and have circular shape in the lower part, wide nostrils and clear forehead. Of many of the pieces appear only pieces, heads and other fragments, because they are extracted digging in alluvial lands. Erosion is also important, so much of the pieces appear polished or broken. The statues that appear whole are rare, hence the high price they reach in the art market. Most of the characters, of the figures that have appeared whole, are presented in a rich dress and ornamentation that indicates their belonging to an elevated social class, high dignitaries, philosophers and notables, as well as zoomorphic representations, like the elephant. This occurs at a time when the rest of Africa begins the Neolithic, which suggests that the Nok could receive direct influence from the Egyptians. So far they are the oldest pieces in black Africa. The wonderful terracottas found for just seventy years demonstrate the advance of knowledge of pottery, the domination of fire and clay cooking, in addition to the extraordinary artistic qualities that reflect their sculptures.

This figure seems to date from the prime period of Nok sculpture, but only the thermoluminescence test could give an exact date.