The Nok culture was one of the earliest known societies of Western Africa. It existed in modern-day Nigeria from around 500 B.C.E. to 200 C.E. Historians and archaeologists refer to this culture as the Nok culture because artifacts were first discovered near the modern Nigerian town of Nok. Nok culture is known for its unique terracotta sculptures and its early iron working.
Map:
Sculptures:
One of the identifying characteristics of Nok sculptures is the triangular or oval-shaped eyes on human faces. Human figures also often have elaborate hair styles. Typically, humans are depicted seated, with their hands on their knees. Nok sculptures have been found across an area over 78,000 square kilometers (30,116 square miles), suggesting these artists, although they received their clay from a central source, were part of an expansive civilization.
Iron Technology:
There is evidence of iron working in the region dating back to at least the fourth century B.C.E., and possibly even earlier. In the village of Taruga, Nigeria, archaeologists have found no fewer than 13 iron-smelting furnaces. Archaeologists have also discovered other iron artifacts from the Nok, like farming tools and weapons. The Nok are significant for being one of very few civilizations in the world that transitioned from stone tools straight to iron tools without first learning how to make copper or bronze tools.
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