Nok Sculpture (500 BCE–500 CE)

Nok Sculpture (500 BCE–500 CE)

AP African American Studies Guide

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Topic 1.4

Nok Sculpture by an Unknown Artist (500 BCE–500 CE)

A stylized sculpture of a seated man with an oversized and elongated head relative to their body, chin resting on the figure's knees. Damage to the figures shins.


Source: A terracotta Nok sculpture of a seated man by an unknown artist, created between 500 BCE and 500 CE in modern-day Nigeria (Musée du Quai, Branly; Photograph by Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons, 2006).

Discussion Questions

  1. The credit describes this sculpture as created at some point between 500 BCE and 500 CE. What significance should we attribute to the fact that this is a 1000-year range?
  2. What stands out to you most about the figure depicted in this sculpture? What might the meaning or significance of this sculpture be?
  3. What skills and techniques are necessary to create a piece of art like this sculpture?