Overview
A small terracotta bust in the Nok tradition of Nigeria, showing a figure with one arm raised beside the face. The head has a lobed coiffure with raised knobs, and finely incised lines cross the brow and cheeks. The eyes, nostrils and open mouth are pierced, and a thick banded collar of beads circles the neck and chest. The raised forearm is decorated with incised bands, and the hand of the other arm rests against the chest. The coarse orange clay is full of small mineral grains, which gives the surface a speckled, granular look. It is mounted on a slim metal stand and suits a shelf, desk or a collection of African terracotta.
About Age and Authenticity
This piece comes from a collection lot (ex Barnes) in which a companion piece was thermoluminescence (TL) tested by Artemis Testing Lab in February 2021, with an estimated age of about 2,200 years (±350). This piece itself has not been tested. We make no claim about its age and sell it as is. Buyers are welcome to arrange their own TL testing.
Background
The Nok culture flourished in central Nigeria from roughly 1500 BCE to 500 CE and is known for some of the earliest figurative terracotta sculpture in sub-Saharan Africa. Nok figures often show pierced eyes, nostrils and mouths, elaborate hairstyles and beaded ornaments. This bust is a fragment of a larger figure and is unmarked. It is from an ex Barnes collection batch (Jerald Barnes, an American collector who lived in West Africa for over a decade).
Condition
A fragment broken from a larger figure, with an open break at the base that shows the hollow interior. A thin wire around the neck holds it on the stand. The surface is weathered and granular, with earth deposits in the recesses, and there is a small fresher orange spot at the lips, possibly a small chip. No repairs are visible. Please see all photos.
Dimensions & Weight
The figure alone is about 4 x 2.5 x 2.5 inches (H x W x D), and about 6.5 inches high on its stand. The figure and stand together weigh about 9.9 oz.
Shipping
Free standard shipping within the US, packed securely.
