Nok art refers to huge human, animal, and other figures made out of terracotta pottery, made by the Nok culture and found throughout Nigeria.

What is Nok art known for?

Nok culture is known for its unique terracotta sculptures and its early iron working. In Nigeria in 1943, a visitor came to archaeologist Bernard Fagg and drew his attention to some unique-looking artifacts, which Fagg and his colleagues eventually determined belonged to a then-unknown culture now known as the Nok.

What are the characteristic of Nok art?

The most characteristic Nok artifacts are clay figurines of animals and stylized human beings, usually heads; perforated eyes of an elliptical or triangular shape are typical of the style. Other artifacts of the Nok culture include iron tools, stone axes and other stone tools, and stone ornaments.

What does Nok culture mean?

Famous for the distinctive terracotta sculptures of human heads and figures, Nok was the first known culture in West Africa to produce such art and perhaps the first sub-Saharan culture to perfect iron-smelting technology.

What do Nok sculptures represent?

But as captivating as these embellishments are, the range of expression in Nok terracottas is far from limited to depictions of idealized health and beauty. Some pottery figures appear to depict subjects suffering from ailments such as elephantiasis and facial paralysis.

What language did the Nok speak?

40-50 million people are native speakers of Hausa, a popular cross-cultural language in the North of Nigeria, and a further 2 million speak Hyam in certain historic Nok regions.

What do archaeologists believe was the significance of Nok sculptures?

Some archaeologists believe that Nok terracotta sculptures signify that the Nok were an advanced society.

What is Mbari art made of?

Mbari were constructed with anthill clay as the primary building material, and once built, beautifully repeating geometric patterns were painted across the walls and pillars, which have an organic form.

Who are the people of Nok culture?

The Nok people of Nigeria were smelters of iron but also agriculturalists. C. Elliott describes how the culture they founded may have a deep effect upon the ancient history of Africa.

What are the common artistic features of Nok figures and heads?

Perforated ears, mouths, triangular shaped eyes with pierced pupils are some of the typical stylistic features of the Nok heads. Distinctive hairstyles, the use of ornaments and jewels, variety of beauty in the design provides an enthralling record of body decoration and adornment in the Nok culture.

Who discovered the Nok art?

The first Nok terracotta was discovered in 1928 by Colonel Dent Young, a co-owner of a mining partnership, near the village of Nok in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The terracotta was accidentally unearthed at a level of 24 feet (7 m) from an alluvial tin mine.

What are the similarities between Nok and Ife art?

the human figures of both Ife and Nok are decorated with beads. Nok art is stylized or semi-naturalistic while Ife art is realistic. Ife heads are more idealized in its composition while the Nok heads arc more stylized. Nok heads were made only in terra-cotta while Ife has both terra-cotta and bronze heads.