Nok is a
city in Kaduna state where mysterious and unique cultural statuettes
were found as early as 500 BC. This incredible discovery brought global
attention to the city as curious archaeologists, wanderlust tourists and
fun-seeking travelers paid visits to have a first-hand encounter with
one of Nigeria’s best kept secrets.
A tour
of Nok offers travelers a pleasant, fun-filled and enthralling journey
through a once flourishing ancient enclave. It is the perfect place for
an adventurous holiday this Christmas.
Figurines discovered in Nok in 1929
The
figurines were discovered in 1929 when it was accidentally unearthed by
tin miners. After several lab tests, the figurines were presumably dated
500 BC by archaeologists. Since, its discovery, people from different
parts of the world have flooded the city to see this rare find. Despite
this, the tourism potentials of the city are yet to be harnessed even
with the establishment of the National Commission for Museums and
Monuments.
Had an advanced social system
Nok
people had an organized social system, a well-ordered economy and a
functional form of governance that promoted peace, equality and justice
in the society. This clearly reflects a structured society way before
the emergence of modernity and technology.
Evidence of a rich artistic past
The
terracotta heads are an unquestionable proof of the artistic prowess of
the Nok people. The deft skills exhibited by the sculptors through their
carvings was exceptional. The various heads represented human beings,
animals and plants captured in positions sitting, kneeling or standing; a
rarity in modern art.
At risk of being looted
It is
worrisome that many of the terracotta heads have been carted away to
foreign museums on display for exhibition or auction. Unless efforts are
coordinated towards recovering these heads and preventing the looting
of others, the Nok culture and statues, which are invaluable assets to
Nigeria, will be lost in the near future.
Nok culture is extinct
The only
reminder of Nok culture are the figurines excavated by archeologists.
However, Bernard Fagg, who uncovered various Nok sites in 1944 observed
that the Ham people of Southern Kaduna
was an offshoot of the Nok people. Fagg hinged his decision on the
similarities between the cultural practices, dressing and figures
represented in the Nok art. A visit to Nok is guaranteed to take you
down memory lane of ancient Nigerian heritage.
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