Terracotta Head of Unknown woman from Nok Civilization in Modern day Nigeria. Currently located in Yale University Art Gallery's African Art. Dimensions 14 3/4 × 5 1/8 × 5 in. (37.47 × 13 × 12.7 cm) .
Brief Introduction[]
This sculpture is a terracotta head from the Nok Civilization of Modern Day Nigeria. This sculpture was built between 900 BCE-300 BCE. Terracotta heads were used to resemble humans and animals from the Nok civilization. Although the sculpture possesses the dimensions of 14 3/4 × 5 1/8 × 5 in. (37.47 × 13 × 12.7 cm) the emphasis and large size of the head represents intelligence in African Art. With the usage of elaborate hairstyles and jewelry this specific sculpture depicts the appearance of a unknown an wealthy high status women from the Nok Civilization. Currently this terracotta head can be found in African Art section at the Yale University Art gallery.
Technical Evaluation[]
Although the Nok Civilization is known for it's terracotta heads, the Nok civilization is also well known for it's iron smelting. The Nok Civilization was the earliest example of iron smelting in Sub- Saharan Africa. The usage of iron smelting allowed the Nok civilization to skip the bronze age and go directly from the stone age to the iron age unlike any other ancient civilization [ "The Nok Culture", National Geographic]. Iron smelting includes using a furnace fueled by wood and charcoal to make iron tools. After the hot iron in the furnaces was hammered into shape by skilled worker. With the iron smelting process the Nok civilization were able to mass produce iron tools. Iron tools such as hoes, hand-axes, and cleavers for farming. By developing tools for agriculture, farming increased and provided a stable economy and food supply for the Nok civilization. As a result of having a stabilized economy and food supply, culture and art work flourished between 900 BCE - 400 BCE. The mass production and development of the terracotta heads through 900 BCE-400 BCE stands as a testament of the Nok civilization's Iron age.
Although the Nok civilization was known for their usage of iron, Nok Terracotta heads were made from clay and had a hollow and coil built similar to pottery. A mixture of clay and water are used to give the sculptures a even texture. Clay was used as the primary material for the Terracotta heads because clay was a readily available within the Nok Civilization's region. Although the Nok thrived in iron production for agriculture, ultimately iron was a rare commodity since stone tools were used more often. As a result terracotta were first sculpted and designed in clay with the artist's hands and not iron tools. The Nok artists used special characteristics and details such as triangular eyes, and intricate hairstyles while making the Terracotta heads. After the clay was designed it was burned in the hot sun and then placed in hot ovens around 100 degrees Celsius . Nok potters made holes in terracotta to prevent gas and water vapor from getting caught within the sculpture as it's placed in a oven fire.
Terracotta heads were discovered in 1943 in a tin mining village named Jos Plateau, a village in the region of Nigeria brought terracotta heads to light. This terracotta head was placed in the Yale University Art Gallery after private donor Joel Grae sold the terracotta head to Yale University Art Gallery in 2010.
Local Historical Context[]
The terracotta head was created by the Nok civilization in modern day Nigeria approximately between 900 BCE -300 BCE. The Nok civilization was a in Sub- Saharan Africa that lasted from 500 BCE to 200 BCE . The Nok civilization was well known for it's iron production through iron smelting. The Nok's advance usage of iron smelting resulted in mass production of iron tools. Iron became an important aspect of agriculture, culture, the economy, warfare, religion, and social contact for the Nok civilization and later Nigerian kingdoms.
Advanced iron technology became an important aspect to agriculture within the Nok civilization. Iron tools such as hoes and hand axes were used for farming and agriculture. The mass production and improvement of iron technology encouraged many people from the Nok civilization to become farmers or blacksmiths. With the increase in blacksmiths, iron was produced faster and iron smelting made the process more efficient. As a result farmers had advanced iron agricultural technology and could produce a surplus of foods. The surplus of food provided a stable and healthy population which allowed the Nok people to explore culture ideas and artwork. With a surplus of iron tools and crops, the Nok civilization was also able to sell iron tools and crops to support their economy through trade. Increased trade, improved the Nok economy and increased social contact with other Sub-Saharn civilizations over time. These increased social interactions, trade, and agriculture production resulted in the development of the Dahomey, Benin, and the Yoruba kingdoms in Nigeria after the Nok civilization. With this in mind, iron was able to help form political relationships between the Dahomey, Benin, and the Yoruba kingdoms in Nigeria. The Nok civilization's dependence on iron encouraged these three kingdoms to recognized iron as a religious symbol. The Ogun God represented iron and is known for introducing iron and being the first hunter, warrior, opening trade routes, and creating of dynasties. Ogun, a central symbolic religious figure, who is associated with creating civilizations and aggressive actions.
Blacksmiths were highly valued in the Nok civilization because their work with iron tools "allowed for the kind of extensive systematized agriculture, efficient hunting, and successful warfare necessary to sustain large urban centers" [ "Age of iron in west Africa", The Metropolitan Museum of Art]. Blacksmiths also served as "counsel to the village chief concerning all major decisions" ["Age of iron in west Africa", The Metropolitan Museum of Art]. Overall, blacksmiths in the Nok civilization were known as powerful social, political, and economic figures.
Iron provided peace and stability to the Nok civilization and later helped to develop Nigerian Kingdoms, and allowed culture to spread. Increased trade allowed artisans to create terracotta sculptures to depict Nok people and animals. Artisans used special characteristics such as jewelry, hairstyles, and iron objects to depict wealth and high status citizens in the Nok civilization.
World-Historical Significance[]
Terracotta figures are one of the best-preserved examples of its kind. Terracotta sculptures rare artifacts. The intricate details of the sculpture's hairstyle and jewelry makes this artifact aesthetically unique. The Greeks also built Terracotta heads during the 4th century BCE, with similar intricate details . Since the Nok Terracotta head was discovered between 900 BCE and 300 BCE, and the Greek sculpture was developed in 400 BCE it is possible that the Greeks' art could have been influenced by the Nok civilization. This Terracotta figure from the Nok civilization represents the social and cultural trends in the Nok civilization and world history. The sculpture's origin ( Nok civilization) also represents religious, political, and economic trends throughout world history.
Suggested Bibliography[]
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Cartwright, Mark. “Nok Culture.” World History Encyclopedia, November 14, 2023. https://www.worldhistory.org/Nok_Culture/.
Curtis Abraham, and Excavated from a village in Nigeria. “Terracotta Head Is Rare Example of Iron Age African Culture.” New Scientist, January 7, 2012. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0262407912600372?ref=pdf_download&fr=RR-2&rr=826ca2d73ea253f8.Department of Arts of Africa, Oceania. “Nok Terracottas (500 B.C.–200 A.D.): Essay: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.” The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, January 1, 1AD. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/nok/hd_nok.htm#:~:text=The%20heads%20of%20Nok%20terracottas,often%20signifies%20respect%20for%20intelligence.
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“Search the Site,” Fragment of a Female Figure | Yale University Art Gallery, accessed November 14, 2023, https://artgallery.yale.edu/collections/objects/145176.
“Terracotta Head of a Woman: Greek, Tarentine.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed November 15, 2023. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/258000.
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