Cylindrical head, intended for use in rituals, as an offering. Stylized representation; it features exaggerated facial features: a wide mouth with thick lips, large almond-shaped eyes, a prominent nose, and both irises and nostrils are perforated. The Nok anthropomorphic sculpture aims to be realistic, but in many cases it tends towards abstraction and interprets human features summarily, thus beginning a stylization that will be inherent to African art: to suggest what one wants to represent and to do so with the least possible contribution of features.
The Nok culture is the oldest civilization in sub-Saharan Africa, creator of the first figurative sculpture on the continent; its influence is clear in later civilizations, however, its origin remains uncertain.
Figure on an iron base.
With a thermoluminescence analysis certificate issued by the Autonomous University of Madrid.

HEAD NOK
Nigeria (5th century BC - 1st century AD)

The piece is preserved in good general condition, with minimal restorations if any; it is accompanied by an authenticity analysis issued by the Autonomous University of Madrid.

The Nok culture, considered the oldest civilization in sub-Saharan Africa, pioneered figurative sculpture on the continent. Its works decisively influenced later civilizations and reflect a profound connection with ancestral rituals and beliefs, although its origins remain shrouded in mystery.