Nok culture stuns scholars, public in Germany

Nok culture, through its unique sculptures, came to global knowledge when accidental discoveries of exquisite terracotta sculptures were made during tin mining operations around 1928. The findings were then named after the first site where they were discovered. However, Nok archaeological sites became victims of unprecedented looting especially in the 1990s when some sculptures were […]

Nok culture, through its unique sculptures, came to global knowledge when accidental discoveries of exquisite terracotta sculptures were made during tin mining operations around 1928. The findings were then named after the first site where they were discovered. However, Nok archaeological sites became victims of unprecedented looting especially in the 1990s when some sculptures were illegally exported to Europe and the United States. It was the need to preserve this unique sculptural heritage and stem the looting that informed the collaboration between the NCMM and the Department of African Archaeology and Archaeobotany of Goethe University, Franfurt.
The collaboration which commenced in 2005 involved Professor Peter Breunig and his team who had earlier been working in the Chad Basin in partnership with the University of Maiduguri and NCMM, a collaboration that led to the excavation of 8000 year old Dufuna Canoe.
Surveys were conducted for initial operations around Nok and major successful excavations were carried out at Agwan KURA in 2007 and Garaje Kagoro in 2008. The same year, full operations shifted to Kagarko Local Government where less disturbed sites were encountered and another round of successful excavations were conducted in Jan Ruwa, Kurmin Uwa, Pantaki and Tsaunin-Bakka.  The finds of these various efforts were offered to the German public in a rare exhibition of Nok sculpture.
 In his address at the opening at the Liebieghaus Museum in Frankfurt, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Edem Duke describe the exhibition as historic and momentous for Nigeria as the event has, once again shown the rest of the world that the country has a lot to offer in heritage protection and propagation. “I wish to reiterate the commitment of Nigeria to the integration of the cultural sector into the Tourism Masterplan. Thus, in the ‘Fascinating Nigeria’ campaign, archaeological sites, which are being valorised through this type of research partnership, form the cornerstone of what we showcase to domestic and international tourists’’.
The Minister, while empathising the significance of the exhibition to Nigeria as a nation said “This exhibition will go a long way in reassuring the present and future generations of Nigerians that the country is truly blessed. It will also show that we have a heritage and a civilization that is unique with a global impact like the civilization of ancient Egypt and other major ones in history. Nok holds a very fascinating story about Nigeria which we are proud to share with the rest of the world.”
 Duke also restated the commitment of the Federal Government to the protection and propagation of the country’s rich cultural heritage, stop the illicit excavation of antiquities and pursue the repatriation of objects taken abroad illegally.
Also on the Nigerian delegation to the exhibition was the Governor of Kaduna State, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, who led traditional rulers from the Nok community and other officials of the State Government to the event. Governor Yero in his address traced the origin of Nok Terra-cotta to a civilization that dates back to as early as 1000BC, making it one of the most ancient of such sculptures known to history. ‘’There is no doubt that further archaeological foray into the Nok region may provide clues to more stunning findings. I thus urge archaeologists from all over the world to venture into the area with the target of unearthing another buried treasure from early cultural prowess of our ancestors.”
According to the Governor, the Kaduna State Government has constructed office blocks and chalets in Nok for visitors and researchers with a view to encouraging more research activities and further preserve the invaluable artefacts, that the Nok culture has produced. He also announced the ongoing collaboration between the State Government and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments to develop a Heritage Conservation   Masterplan for the proper preservation, presentation and promotion of the Nok Site for sustainable tourism, noting that this is partly what has brought about the inscription of Nok as a World Heritage Site in line with the National Tourism Masterplan.
Vinzenz Brinkmann, a Professor of Classical Archaeology at Goethe University and Curator of Nok Exhibition expressed immense satisfaction with the outcome of the collaboration. He described the research and excavation work on Nok Culture as one of the most stimulating of his career. Speaking in the same vein, Professor Peter Breunig, Editor, Nok Catalogue, who also played a key role in the research pointed out that Nok has opened a new chapter in global archaeological studies and directed attention of scholars and enthusiasts to Nigeria as a location for research into ancient antiquities.
Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Yusuf Abdalah expressed the appreciation of the Commission to the German team of researchers for the monumental finds from the collaboration and the Liebieghaus Museum for exhibiting the work to the public.
 The objects, which will all be returned to Nigeria after the exhibition, will be on display at another exhibition planned for Nigeria about March 2014.
Taiwo Oladokun writes from the Federal Ministry of Culture. He is the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media.
Some Nok culture facts
•  The Nok culture appeared in Nigeria around 1000 BC and vanished under unknown circumstances around 300 AD in the region of West Africa.
•  The Nok culture was considered to be the earliest sub-Saharan producer of life-sized Terracotta.
• Function still unknown, but scientific field work has started in 2005 to systematically investigate the archaeological sites.
•  Little is known of the original function of the pieces, but theories include ancestor portrayal, grave markers, and charms to prevent crop failure, infertility, and illness.
• In 1928, the first find was accidentally unearthed at a level of 24 feet in an alluvial tin mine in the vicinity of the village of Nok near the Jos Plateau region of Nigeria
• The Nok culture was discovered in 1928 on the Jos Plateau during tin mining.
• In February 2013, the Nigerian Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and National Orientation repossessed five Nok statuettes looted by a French man in August 2010. The pieces seized by French customs agents were repatriated following a Nigerian government Directive.
Source: Wikipedia