Nok culture archaeology. Whilst there is Abstract. C. org Feb 9, 2024 · Historians and archaeologists refer to this culture as the Nok culture because artifacts were first discovered near the modern Nigerian town of Nok. Jul 11, 2023 · The Nok culture is almost entirely unknown. We have few written records to tell us about complex agricultural societies in West Africa. Despite the fact that the centre of the Nok culture can be found in the middle of Nigeria, it is possible that the influence of Nok artefacts and cultural 6 days ago · A new study of the Nok culture has found conclusive evidence, within ancient fragments of terracotta pottery, that honey hunting was part of daily life in West Africa 3,500 years ago. Unlocking the secrets of West Africa's earliest known civilization A terracotta head created by the Nok culture, one of ancient West Africa's most advanced civilizations, emerges at a dig site near Janjala, Nigeria. Renowned for its distinctive terracotta sculptures and early ironworking, the Nok culture represents a significant chapter in African history. Its terracotta sculptures are among the oldest of their kind in sub-Saharan Africa, offering a glimpse into spiritual beliefs, social hierarchies, and artistic genius from nearly 3,000 years ago. It belongs to a group of archaeological cultures or human groups, who in part subsisted on the crops they were growing and lived in mostly small but permanent settlements in the savanna regions south of the Sahara from the second millennium BCE onwards. [1][2] The artifacts were discovered in 1943 during mining operations. The Nok culture appeared in Nigeria around 1000 B. Research was resumed in 2005 to understand the Nok Culture phenomenon, employing a holistic approach in which the sculptures and iron metallurgy remain central What Is Nok Culture? In this informative video, we will discuss the fascinating Nok culture, an ancient civilization that thrived in what is now Nigeria from around 1500 BCE to 200 CE. The Nok culture was considered to be the earliest sub-Saharan producer of life-sized Terracotta. 1 1 Joseph F. See full list on worldhistory. Jemkur, “The Nok Culture Terra Cotta Sculptures form Central Nigeria,” The Nok Culture: Art in Nigeria 2,500 Years Ago, Gert Chesi and Gerhard Oct 1, 2018 · Images: University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art Bibliography Fagg, Bernard. It is suggested that the society eventually evolved into the later Nok culture, identified through ancient terracotta sculptures discovered in Nigeria, dates back 2,000 to 2,500 years and represents one of West Africa's oldest artistic traditions. The Nok Culture, symbolised by its striking terracotta figurines, remains one of Africa’s most fascinating yet overlooked ancient societies. It has been hypothesized that climate change may have driven new settlement patterns across the continent. Much of his research has focused on uncovering the mystery surrounding elaborate terracotta sculptures, made by the Nok people over 2,500 years ago. , concurrent with the earliest evidence of iron smelting in Africa south of the Sahara desert. Duncan E. Oct 13, 2024 · Archaeological evidence suggests that the Nok culture began to emerge around 1500 BCE, making it one of the earliest known civilizations in West Africa. This region lies in Central Nigeria. The shapes of stone tools found at Nok sites change little throughout the entire span of the Nok Culture. This document provides background information on the Nok Culture of central Nigeria. The Nok culture was one of Western Africa’s earliest known societies. Archaeological finds from the mid-20th century suggested that they appeared together with iron production and pointed to an early complex society preceding later Nigerian societies, such as Ile-Ife and Discover the mysterious Nok Culture and their terracotta masterpieces—Africa's earliest sculptors who shaped history! #AfricanHistory #NokCulture #ArtHistory #Terracotta #Archaeology #HiddenGems | Dornubari Dumpe | Facebook Jan 12, 2016 · Until recently the Nigerian Nok Culture had primarily been known for its terracotta sculptures and the existence of iron metallurgy, providing some of the earliest evidence for artistic sculpting and iron working in sub-Saharan Africa. Miller and N. It discusses the initial discovery and naming of the Nok Culture, early research in the 1960s and 1970s, and a new collaborative research project that began in 2005 between Nigerian and German institutions to further study and protect Nok sites and artifacts. . May 20, 2022 · Peter Breunig is a Professor of Archaeology at Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. Van Der Merwe, ‘Radiocarbon Chronology of the Iron Age in Sub Feb 15, 2025 · Discover the Nok Culture, Nigeria's ancient civilization, known for its remarkable terracotta sculptures and rich history. E. A terracotta head created by the Nok culture, one of ancient West Africa's most advanced civilizations, emerges at a dig site Sep 18, 2025 · Nok Culture is more than a chapter in archaeology—it is a living symbol of Africa’s ancient ingenuity. Nok settlements have been discovered in a wide variety of geographic forms within the savanna Jan 1, 2010 · The Nok Culture of Central Nigeria is well known for its terracotta figurines, depicting animals and humans up to life-size. What tends to strike researchers is a lack of cutting tools. Nok culture is well-known for its distinctive terracotta THE SIGNIFICANCE OF NOK CULTURE SCULPTURES IN NIGERIAN PREHISTORY Peter Breunig is a Professor of Archaeology at Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. These ancient peoples are not directly any present-day ethnic group. But archaeological evidence proves they existed as at least as far back as 2000 years ago! The Nok society is one of these. Beside the clay sculptures, Nok iron smelting sites are still among the The Nok culture is a population whose material remains are named after the Ham village of Nok in southern Kaduna State of Nigeria, where their terracotta sculptures were first discovered in 1928. , it existed in modern-day Nigeria. org en. and mysteriously vanished around 500 AD in the region of West Africa. to 200 C. The paper outlines the historical discoveries, examination of Oct 15, 2014 · The Nok Culture represents an African variant of that process. wikipedia. Recent work in west Africa: New light on the Nok culture. How did they apparently skip the Bronze Age in their development, and what can we learn from their haunting art? Environment Nok culture existed during a time when decreased rainfall in northern Africa led to the solidification of the Sahara Desert and the rise of inhospitable environments in west Africa. Nok culture is known for its unique terracotta sculptures and its early iron working. The Nok artifacts, shaped from clay and showing influences from wood carving, suggest significant cultural practices among iron-using farming societies. World Archaeology 1 (1): 1969, 41–50. Its cultural and technological achievements influenced later West African civilizations The elaborate terracotta figurines of central Nigerian Nok culture date back to the early 1st millennium bce and represent the earliest large-size sculptural tradition in sub-Saharan Africa. Archaeological finds from the mid-20th century suggested that they appeared together with iron production and pointed to an early complex society preceding later Nigerian societies, such as Ile-Ife and Aug 27, 2025 · Archaeology (Nok culture, Dufuna canoe, Igbo-Ukwu finds) shows people in Nigeria thousands of years before any named tribe archaeology. [1][2] The Nok people and the Gajiganna people may have migrated from the Central Sahara, along with pearl millet and pottery, and diverged prior to arriving in the northern region of modern-day Geographical Area and Settlements The area of distribution for the Nok figures extends roughly from Kagara in western Nigeria to Katsina Ala in the south, approximately 76,800 square kilometers, or eight percent of Nigeria as a whole. org. Jul 1, 2011 · Unlocking the secrets of West Africa's earliest known civilization. 6 days ago · A new study of the Nok culture has found conclusive evidence, within ancient fragments of terracotta pottery, that honey hunting was part of daily life in West Africa 3,500 years ago. The culture persisted for more than a millennium, until around 1 BCE. The culture’s social system is thought to have been highly advanced. Van Der Merwe, ‘Early Metal Working in Sub Saharan Africa’ Journal of African History 35 (1994) 1-36 Minze Stuiver and N. J. The terracottas represent the earliest sculptural art in West Africa and were made between 900 B. (Courtesy Peter Breunig) In 1943, British archaeologist Bernard Fagg received a visitor in the central Nigerian town of Jos, where he had spent the previous few years gathering and The elaborate terracotta figurines of central Nigerian Nok culture date back to the early 1st millennium bce and represent the earliest large-size sculptural tradition in sub-Saharan Africa. He has spent much of his recent career conducting in-depth analyses around the Nok culture, a prehistoric society based in central Nigeria. Because artifacts were discovered near the modern Nigerian town of Nok, historians and archaeologists refer to this culture as the Nok culture. The Nok grew crops and worked with iron tools. Archaeology The discovery of terracotta figurines at this location caused its name to be used for the Nok culture, of which these figurines are typical, which flourished in Nigeria in the period 1500 BC - 500 AD. The purpose of this study is to compile the academic research that has been conducted on the Nok excavations over the course of this year in order to present a comprehensive archaeological narrative about Nigerian civilization. and 0 C. Apr 2, 2025 · In the heart of prehistoric Nigeria, a mysterious civilisation flourished - known today only through archaeology. From around 500 B. [3] Jan 25, 2020 · Nok art refers to huge human, animal, and other figures made out of terracotta pottery, made by the Nok culture and found throughout Nigeria. Much of his research has focused on uncovering the mystery surrounding elaborate terracotta sculptures Jan 2, 2025 · The Nok culture, flourishing in present-day Nigeria from approximately 1000 BCE to 300 CE, is one of the earliest known complex societies in sub-Saharan Africa. 803qg jz0vdx 61qkya bqx 6ge3k rpc 6w5ckpm lucf qbew xii