One of the earliest known cultures in West Africa is the “Nok Culture”. It is a culture widely known for its unique terracotta sculptures and iron. Nok Culture was very prominent in the 5th century BCE. It is believed that Nok people migrated from Central Sahara. If you’re interested in knowing more about these Nigerian people, here are quick facts about their rich culture:
1. Artistry
Nok is the name of the town where the first artifacts were found. It was situated in the east of the Niger River and north of the Benue River. The first terracotta sculptures were discovered in 1928 in Kaduna, Nigeria. One of the attributes of Nok culture is the use of human figures represented mostly with oval-shaped eyes on human faces. This sculpture also depicted humans seated, with their hands on their knees.
2. Farming
The Nok people were known to be majorly farmers that cultivated cowpeas and pearl millet. They operated a mixed-crop society, providing nutritional needs for themselves. The pearl millet is known to be one of the oldest grain crops in Africa. These people were also able to grow vegetables like pumpkins and cereals such as sorghum. Nok people practiced an agroforestry system which is a combination of crops with trees on the same plot of land.
3. Technology
Nok culture really thrived because of the technology introduced by them. They provided a framework for the earliest example of iron-smelting technology in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Nok people were very civilized; they initiated so many working equipment such as tools for cutting, working and preparing food. Stone axes were made from volcanic rock which was mostly used for cutting purposes and food preparation.
Copper and iron were used in creating weapons and tools. Nok people were very skilled in metalworking which became a major factor in their economy and social status. They were able to establish a reputation of craftsmanship because of their skills and trading of their metal objects with neighbouring communities.
4. Judiciary System
The Nok people had a formidable judicial system which even pre-dates the western judicial system. Different classes of court were created in addressing disputes, allegations, stealing , murder, adultery and civil cases. They had a belief that every crime comes with a curse of which must be disclosed in order to avert its consequences. Chief Priest and various Clan Heads presided over the court. People found guilty of any offence were mandated to offer the gods goats and chicken for sacrifice and local wine for the chief priest.
5. Housing
Some of the uniqueness of the Nok people was their creativity and versatility that created an enabling environment for them to prosper. One of their ideologies was the use of clay in building and beautifying huts. Foundations for the huts were erected on ring stones.
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