Maybe the Nok culture will never lose its air of mystery but it should not be ruled out that future humans will further probe if there could be any striking extra proof that ties the presence of exceptional terracotta sculpture artistry in 1928 to southern Kaduna in northern Nigeria. So far, a few more answers have given rise to torrents of added questions being asked.

A journey to uncover the origin of the Nok exhibition will lead a reader to the vital traces of the early adoption of iron as a tool of survival for the humans of Ham, the Kaduna village where the first set of terracotta sculptures were found in the 20th Century. The Nigerians here had breezed past technological upgrade sequences by quickly navigating from using stones as their primary tool.

History gives credit to British archaeologist Graham Edward Connah for helping with answers. This goes back to 1961 when he got fieldwork opportunities at the Department of Antiquities of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Then, when he next served as a research fellow working at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria five years later.

There were other roles that the archaeologist Connah would later take up. One was attempting to provide highly anticipated clarity when he said Nok artwork represents a style that was adopted by a range of iron-using farming societies of varying cultures, rather than being the diagnostic feature of a particular human group as has often been claimed.

Being on the ground at the 1920s tin mining sites that the British colonial administration in Nigeria most definitely sanctioned is unquestionably linked with better clarification from the archaeologist.

To cut the mystery even more when it comes to the Nok culture is to now identify Colonel Dent Young, the co-owner of a mining industry near the village of Nok that had just dug up the first Nok terracotta sculptures which until then had been hibernating under heaps of solid earth.

After the sculpting discoveries that archaeologists believe date back to around 1500 BC, came other positions that are among the earliest known examples of terracotta artistry in sub-Saharan Africa. The sculptures show human characteristics and often employ animals to complete complex storytelling yet they are engaging. Hence, why they have suffered being looted.

Nok culture would show heads and figures accompanied by intricate details as well as expressive features, that together point to a highly developed artistic tradition.

How they found the golden tool

One of the most intriguing aspects of the Nok culture is its early adoption of iron technology. The Nok people were among the first in West Africa to smelt iron, previous research found.

Iron tools and weapons allowed the Nok to cultivate crops more efficiently, hunt more effectively, and defend themselves against potential threats.

The Ham village connection is what is usually the focus when talking about the Nok culture’s origin but that is just oversimplifying it. Ham holds a special place in history no doubt but there are other hotspots. Jama’a is one, and then Samun Dukiya, Taruga, with Jos.

Nok originators possibly settled in these spaces due to the rich deposits of iron ore found there. Having found such an asset, what they thought next to do was to skillfully process the material to create tools and sculptures that the present world still talks about.

Holes to dig deeper

Despite the significant discoveries made so far, the Nok culture remains shrouded in mystery because new findings only seem to raise more questions than it answers.

The exact purpose of the terracotta sculptures is still being debated among researchers. Were they used for religious rituals, as grave markers, or simply as artistic expressions are the questions these people have been asking?

Additionally, people want to know the reasons behind the sudden disappearance of the Nok culture around 500 AD. It was like dark art the way future humans find themselves struggling to connect with tangible traces of Nok. Easily is what the interested population would have preferred.

Future research and archaeological excavations may provide further insights into the Nok culture nonetheless even if it might really just be trickling in. Ground-penetrating radar and DNA analysis offer hope.  They can uncover new evidence that sheds light on a fascinating civilisation’s origins.

Meiza Nigeria