1. Sculptures of Ancient Nigeria:
NOK and IGBO UKWU

3. The African Continent is approximately 12 million square miles
Basic Facts
The African Continent is approximately 12 million square miles
3 times the size of the United States
Population—approximately 750 million
Over 2,000 ethnic groups with distinct languages and cultural patterns
Diversity—peoples, geography, social and political organizations,
Religious beliefs, etc

5. Map of Nigeria depicting the ancient culture areas

6. Conceptual basis of African Art Visual Metaphors Emotional Proportions
Head—site of spirituality and personality

7. Nok: the birth of Art in Africa

8. Nok Culture
-Found in North central Nigeria off the edge of the Jos Plateau
The oldest known example of terracotta sculpture in Africa south of the Sahara
Dates from Before the Present (1000 BC AD)
-wide diversity of subject matter
With considerable variation in style, treatment and scale
Highly skilled in the creation of full-length human figures
-well organized social, political and religious structures
Art depicting images of dignitaries: rulers, priests and heroes
Iron working culture
With fragments of iron and beads recovered from furnaces

9. Style Elements -elaborate coiffure Cylindrical heads
Pierced eyes, nose, mouth, and ears
Semi-circular/triangular eyes and lids
Ears set back, often low and small
Flared nostrils

10. The Dinya Head
Nok, Nigeria
c. 500 BC – AD 200
( 2500 – 1800 BP )
Terracotta
36 x 22.5 cm

11. Warrior Figure
Nok, Nigeria
Terracotta
88 x 23 x 20 cm

12. Female Pillar Statue
Nok (Kuchanfa style)
Terracotta,
2150BP

13. Amulet statuette,
Nok, Nigeria
Terracotta,
2350 BP,
h. 5.5 in

14. Kneeling male figure,
Nok, Nigeria
Terracotta
65.5 x 19 x 23 cm

15. Head of a Bearded Man,
Nok (Sokoto)
Terracotta,
2300BP

16. Human/Bird Composite
Birdman,
Nok, Nigeria
Terracotta
47 x 20 x 22 cm

17. Elephant, Nok, Terracotta, 2050BP

18. Statue on bended knee with Elephant and Feline,
Nok, Terracotta,
2350 BP

19. Igbo Ukwu: Art of an ancient Aristocracy

20. Igbo Richard, Igbo Isaiah and Igbo Jonah
Igbo Ukwu art comes from 3 Archaeological sites in southeastern Nigeria:
Igbo Richard, Igbo Isaiah and Igbo Jonah
-consists of objects made from bronze, terracotta, beads and Ivory
-metal objects were made by the lost wax technique
-they are believed to date to around 1100 BP(900 AD)
-objects discovered in ancient burial chambers, shrines and storage areas
-made by sophisticated bronze casting techniques
Objects include bronze pendants, bowls, and shells

21. Caroline Sasson’s rendering of
the burial chamber of Igbo Richard,
Depicting the priest-king,
Igbo Ukwu,
Water color,

22. Caroline Sasson’s rendering of the storage house
From Igbo Isaiah, depicting some of the sacred objects on an altar

23. Triton shell,
Igbo Ukwu, Nigeria
Leaded Bronze
1100 BP
Skeumorph

24. Roped Vessel on a stand,
Igbo Ukwu,
Leaded bronze,
1100 BP (900AD)

25. Staff finial or flywhisk handle
With an equestrian motif,
Igbo Ukwu, Nigeria
9th century (1100 BP)
Bronze
h cm (6 3/16 in.)
Striation emotional proportions

26. Head Pendant
Igbo Ukwu, Nigeria
9th Century (1100 BP)
Bronze
h. 7.6 cm

27. Globular ceramic vessel with everted rim, Igbo Ukwu, Nigeria
9th Century (1100 BP), Terracotta, h cm