A Nok Head from Nigeria

The Nok were the first Iron Age people of west Africa, and their culture lasted from around 1000 BC to AD 500. Their most distinctive artifacts are unfired clay statues and figurines. Since they are so soft, most of those known have suffered from erosion and are far from perfect. This fine example was found last year in the Nigerian village of Kushe. It is about 2000 years old.