Honestly described · Free 30-day returns · Free US shipping · Secure checkout
Overview
A small terracotta head in the Nok tradition of Nigeria. The face has round pierced eyes set below a long incised line across the brow, a broad nose with pierced nostrils, and a wide mouth above a rounded chin. The forehead and crown rise in a tall, rounded shape. The coarse orange clay is full of small white mineral grains, which gives the surface a speckled, granular look. It is mounted on a slim metal stand with a round base 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 heads typically have pierced eyes, nostrils and mouths, and incised details on the brow and hair. This head 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 back of the head that shows the hollow interior. The face is worn and weathered, with soft features and earth deposits in the eyes, nostrils and surface pores. There is a fine hairline crack across the top right of the head. A wire clip holds it on the stand. No repairs are visible. Please see all photos.
Dimensions & Weight
The head is about 3.5 x 2.5 x 2.2 inches (H x W x D) and weighs about 12 oz.
Shipping
Free standard shipping within the US, packed securely.
