https://www.mapsofworld.com
Timeline
The people lived in present-day Nigeria between 500 BC and AD 200 (Beck)
(Chapter 8.1) (Beck)
(Chapter 8.1) (Beck)
https://beckchris.wordpress.com
-Storytellers known as griots passed down stories that informed people on history, literature, and culture (Beck)
-West Africans developed advanced societies before outsiders came to the continent (Beck)
-Artifacts from West African culture include pottery, charcoal, and slag (a waste product from smelting iron) (Beck)
-From using the artifacts, there is information on West Africa dating back from 500 BC (Beck)
-They skipped the Copper and Bronze Ages and moved right to the Iron Age (Beck)
-People of West Africa would then move out of the area and migrate to other areas (Beck)
(Chapter 8.1) (Beck)
-Based on the map, located between Niger and Benue River. This means they have access to water and trade routes [my interpretation]
-The solidification of the Sahara desert probably occurred while the Nok existed. This may have contributed to the rise of inhospitable lands in West Africa and migration to other continents (“The Archaeology”)
-Nok settlements have also been uncovered in savanna woodlands, plateaus, river valleys (“The Archaeology”)
-Nok did not have a geographic preference; the soil was probably equally fertile (“The Archaeology”)
-The land was fertile so most likely a stable supply of food [my interpretation]
-Archeological sites have revealed traces of charcoal and burned firewood which shows them using the slash and burn technique for farming (“The Archaeology”)
-Some crops include millet, cassava, guinea corn, maize (“The Archaeology”)
-No evidence of domesticated animals uncovered by archaeologists, but their government suggests that there may have been domesticated animals? [my interpretation]
-There is evidence of art in Nok culture, so they probably had a stable food supply for others to specialize in art [interpretation][potential natural disasters?]
- [proximity of potential foes?]
(http://scalar.usc.edu/works/archaeology-of-complex-societies/nok) (“The Archaeology”)
-One of the most complex judicial systems—dates further back than the western judicial system. (Aprilholloway)
-They believed that every crime attracts a curse. (Aprilholloway)
-Have courts for minor civil cases and criminal cases. (Aprilholloway)
-Once the suspect is brought to what is called an open court, they have to stand between two monoliths (stone serving as a pillar, etc.) and face the sun, the supreme god called Nom and swear to tell the truth. (Aprilholloway)
-Cases that are not solved in open court will be brought to high court, where takes place in an enclosed shrine. (Aprilholloway)
-Once found guilty, the fine is to sacrifice goats and chicken to the gods and wine for the chief priest. (Aprilholloway)
-After a case a settled, there is a celebration in the town thanking the gods that a case has been successfully settled and no impending doom would arrive. (Aprilholloway) (https://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-africa/highly-advanced-and-mysterious-ancient-civilization-nok-00679) (Aprilholloway)
-Since they utilized iron to make many tools, it can be assumed that they also used iron weapons in their military. [my interpretation]
-Tools and weapons were also traded items. (Beck)
(Chapter 8.1) (Beck)
-Some crops include millet, cassava, guinea corn, maize—it can be inferred that they traded these crops. [my interpretation]
-Iron was a distinguishing aspect of the Nok civilization—it is possible that they traded iron tools with other people. [my interpretation]
-Nok sculpture typically has an “elongated” style—the hand or chin normally rests on the knee. (Beck)
(Chapter 8.1) (Beck)
-Archaeologists aren’t sure what the sculptures are for, but some predict that they were grave markers, ancestor portrayal, and/or charms to prevent crop failure, infertility, and illness. (Admin)
-Believed in one supreme god called Nom
(https://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-africa/highly-advanced-and-mysterious-ancient-civilization-nok-00679) (Aprilholloway)
-Smelted iron to make tools. (Beck)
-The Nok is West Africa’s earliest known culture. (Beck)
-The name Nok comes from the name of the village that the first artifacts were discovered. (Beck)
-Artifacts have been found 300 miles between the Niger and Benue rivers. (Beck)
(Chapter 8.1) (Beck)
-Factors leading to their rise, success, decline, fall
-Smelting iron was a major success point for the Nok (Beck)
-Made iron tools for farming and as weapons for hunting (Beck)
-Iron tools were stronger than copper or bronze tools (Beck)
-Iron is smelted to get rid of unwanted minerals—a furnace can be used for this job (Beck)
(Chapter 8.1) (Beck)
-Many believe that the Nok later evolved to the Yoruba kingdom of Ife because Nok sculptures are similar to the sculptures of Ife and Benin (Boddy-Evans)
-But what happened at the end of the Nok civilization remains a mystery (Boddy-Evans)
(https://www.thoughtco.com/what-was-the-nok-culture-44236) (Boddy-Evans)
-The relevance of distinguishing aspects and key factors to the inhabitants of the region
-500 BC Nok people made iron tools
-Smelting iron was a major success point for the Nok
-Made iron tools for farming and as weapons for hunting
-North of the Niger and Benue rivers
-The Nok is West Africa’s earliest known culture
-The people lived in present-day Nigeria between 500 BC and AD 200
-The name Nok comes from the name of the village that the first artifacts were discovered.
-Artifacts have been found 300 miles between the Niger and Benue rivers
-Nok sculpture typically has an “elongated” style—the hand or chin normally rests on the knee
-Iron tools were stronger than copper or bronze tools
-Iron is smelted to get rid of unwanted minerals—a furnace can be used for this job
-West Africans developed advanced societies before outsiders came to the continent (Beck)
-Artifacts from West African culture include pottery, charcoal, and slag (a waste product from smelting iron) (Beck)
-From using the artifacts, there is information on West Africa dating back from 500 BC (Beck)
-They skipped the Copper and Bronze Ages and moved right to the Iron Age (Beck)
-People of West Africa would then move out of the area and migrate to other areas (Beck)
(Chapter 8.1) (Beck)
-Based on the map, located between Niger and Benue River. This means they have access to water and trade routes [my interpretation]
-The solidification of the Sahara desert probably occurred while the Nok existed. This may have contributed to the rise of inhospitable lands in West Africa and migration to other continents (“The Archaeology”)
-Nok settlements have also been uncovered in savanna woodlands, plateaus, river valleys (“The Archaeology”)
-Nok did not have a geographic preference; the soil was probably equally fertile (“The Archaeology”)
-The land was fertile so most likely a stable supply of food [my interpretation]
-Archeological sites have revealed traces of charcoal and burned firewood which shows them using the slash and burn technique for farming (“The Archaeology”)
-Some crops include millet, cassava, guinea corn, maize (“The Archaeology”)
-No evidence of domesticated animals uncovered by archaeologists, but their government suggests that there may have been domesticated animals? [my interpretation]
-There is evidence of art in Nok culture, so they probably had a stable food supply for others to specialize in art [interpretation][potential natural disasters?]
- [proximity of potential foes?]
(http://scalar.usc.edu/works/archaeology-of-complex-societies/nok) (“The Archaeology”)
-One of the most complex judicial systems—dates further back than the western judicial system. (Aprilholloway)
-They believed that every crime attracts a curse. (Aprilholloway)
-Have courts for minor civil cases and criminal cases. (Aprilholloway)
-Once the suspect is brought to what is called an open court, they have to stand between two monoliths (stone serving as a pillar, etc.) and face the sun, the supreme god called Nom and swear to tell the truth. (Aprilholloway)
-Cases that are not solved in open court will be brought to high court, where takes place in an enclosed shrine. (Aprilholloway)
-Once found guilty, the fine is to sacrifice goats and chicken to the gods and wine for the chief priest. (Aprilholloway)
-After a case a settled, there is a celebration in the town thanking the gods that a case has been successfully settled and no impending doom would arrive. (Aprilholloway) (https://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-africa/highly-advanced-and-mysterious-ancient-civilization-nok-00679) (Aprilholloway)
-Since they utilized iron to make many tools, it can be assumed that they also used iron weapons in their military. [my interpretation]
-Tools and weapons were also traded items. (Beck)
(Chapter 8.1) (Beck)
-Some crops include millet, cassava, guinea corn, maize—it can be inferred that they traded these crops. [my interpretation]
-Iron was a distinguishing aspect of the Nok civilization—it is possible that they traded iron tools with other people. [my interpretation]
-Nok sculpture typically has an “elongated” style—the hand or chin normally rests on the knee. (Beck)
(Chapter 8.1) (Beck)
-Archaeologists aren’t sure what the sculptures are for, but some predict that they were grave markers, ancestor portrayal, and/or charms to prevent crop failure, infertility, and illness. (Admin)
-Believed in one supreme god called Nom
(https://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-africa/highly-advanced-and-mysterious-ancient-civilization-nok-00679) (Aprilholloway)
-Smelted iron to make tools. (Beck)
-The Nok is West Africa’s earliest known culture. (Beck)
-The name Nok comes from the name of the village that the first artifacts were discovered. (Beck)
-Artifacts have been found 300 miles between the Niger and Benue rivers. (Beck)
(Chapter 8.1) (Beck)
-Factors leading to their rise, success, decline, fall
-Smelting iron was a major success point for the Nok (Beck)
-Made iron tools for farming and as weapons for hunting (Beck)
-Iron tools were stronger than copper or bronze tools (Beck)
-Iron is smelted to get rid of unwanted minerals—a furnace can be used for this job (Beck)
(Chapter 8.1) (Beck)
-Many believe that the Nok later evolved to the Yoruba kingdom of Ife because Nok sculptures are similar to the sculptures of Ife and Benin (Boddy-Evans)
-But what happened at the end of the Nok civilization remains a mystery (Boddy-Evans)
(https://www.thoughtco.com/what-was-the-nok-culture-44236) (Boddy-Evans)
-The relevance of distinguishing aspects and key factors to the inhabitants of the region
-500 BC Nok people made iron tools
-Smelting iron was a major success point for the Nok
-Made iron tools for farming and as weapons for hunting
-North of the Niger and Benue rivers
-The Nok is West Africa’s earliest known culture
-The people lived in present-day Nigeria between 500 BC and AD 200
-The name Nok comes from the name of the village that the first artifacts were discovered.
-Artifacts have been found 300 miles between the Niger and Benue rivers
-Nok sculpture typically has an “elongated” style—the hand or chin normally rests on the knee
-Iron tools were stronger than copper or bronze tools
-Iron is smelted to get rid of unwanted minerals—a furnace can be used for this job
http://dmvafricans.blogspot.com
Works Cited
Admin. “The Nok Civilization of Nigeria.” Originalpeople.org, originalpeople.org/the-nok-civilization-of-nigeria/.
“Africa Map and Satellite Image.” Geology, geology.com/world/africa-satellite-image.shtml.
Aprilholloway. “The Highly Advanced and Mysterious Ancient Civilization of the Nok.” Ancient Origins, Ancient Origins, 22 July 2013, www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-africa/highly-advanced-and-mysterious-ancient-civilization-nok-00679.
“The Archaeology of Complex Societies: Nok.” Paris of the Plains: Jazz in Kansas City, scalar.usc.edu/works/archaeology-of-complex-societies/nok.
“Art History 101 – Part IB: 400 CE – 1399 CE.” Make Lists, Not War, 16 Oct. 2018, beckchris.wordpress.com/visual-arts/art-history-101-part-i-prehistoric-era-1399-ce/.
Beck, Roger B. World History: Patterns of Interaction. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pub. Co., 2012.
Boddy-Evans, Alistair, and Alistair Boddy-Evans. “Was Nok Culture Sub-Saharan Africa's Earliest Civilization?” Thoughtco., Dotdash, www.thoughtco.com/what-was-the-nok-culture-44236
“Nok Culture.” DMV Africans, dmvafricans.blogspot.com/2011/09/nok-culture.html.
“Nok Culture.” Mapsofworld.com Travel, MapsofWorld, www.mapsofworld.com/world-ancient-history/nok-culture.html.
“Africa Map and Satellite Image.” Geology, geology.com/world/africa-satellite-image.shtml.
Aprilholloway. “The Highly Advanced and Mysterious Ancient Civilization of the Nok.” Ancient Origins, Ancient Origins, 22 July 2013, www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-africa/highly-advanced-and-mysterious-ancient-civilization-nok-00679.
“The Archaeology of Complex Societies: Nok.” Paris of the Plains: Jazz in Kansas City, scalar.usc.edu/works/archaeology-of-complex-societies/nok.
“Art History 101 – Part IB: 400 CE – 1399 CE.” Make Lists, Not War, 16 Oct. 2018, beckchris.wordpress.com/visual-arts/art-history-101-part-i-prehistoric-era-1399-ce/.
Beck, Roger B. World History: Patterns of Interaction. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pub. Co., 2012.
Boddy-Evans, Alistair, and Alistair Boddy-Evans. “Was Nok Culture Sub-Saharan Africa's Earliest Civilization?” Thoughtco., Dotdash, www.thoughtco.com/what-was-the-nok-culture-44236
“Nok Culture.” DMV Africans, dmvafricans.blogspot.com/2011/09/nok-culture.html.
“Nok Culture.” Mapsofworld.com Travel, MapsofWorld, www.mapsofworld.com/world-ancient-history/nok-culture.html.