NOK TERRACOTTA HEADS, Nigeria

Tested and Untested

NOK 2, 18" $10,000*

NOK 4, 13" $8,000*

NOK 9 8", $2500

NOK 12 6.5", $2000

NOK 13 8.75", $2000

NOK 14 6", $2000

NOK 17 4.5", $1200

NOK 18 5", $1500

NOK 20 9", $5000*

NOK 22 7", 4000*

NOK 23 10", $4000*

NOK 24 9" $5000*

NOK 25 8", $5000*

NOK 26 11" $4000*

NOK 27 12", $8000*

NOK 30 SOLD*

NOK 31 4", $1200

NOK 32 4.5"l., $1500

NOK 34 4", $1500

NOK 35 6", $1500

NOK 37 3.5", $900

NOK 38 3.75", $1000

NOK 39 4.5", $1500

NOK 40 3", $900

NOK 41 3.75", $1000

NOK 42 3", $800

NOK 43 4", $900

NOK 44 3.75", $900

The heads below have been sold and are left here for reference and educational purposes.

NOK 6 SOLD*

NOK 10 SOLD

NOK 11 SOLD

NOK 15 SOLD

NOK 16 SOLD

NOK 19 SOLD*

NOK 21 SOLD*

NOK 29 SOLD*

NOK 33 SOLD

NOK 36 SOLD

The oldest and most impressive group of terracottas in "Africa Unearthed" are the powerful and elegant heads and figures of the Nok. Little is known of the Nok civilization (ca. 500 B.C. - 200 A.D.) The artifacts were discovered in 1943 during mining near the village of Nok (hence the name), in Nigeria. Over the years we have acquired many Nok pieces, varying in size, quality and amount and type of repairs made.

Those marked with an asterisk have been tested by thermoluminescence at Bortolot Daybreak Corp. in Connecticut and have papers documenting their age. All results were "consistent with the suggested date of the object concerned." Katsina and Sokoto pieces, of which we have only a few, are from the same period, even more recently discovered, and also from Nigeria.

Many of the smaller pieces have not yet been tested. A test, if desired, will add $400-$500 to the price and would then include its certificate. A failed test would nullify the sale and the sale price and cost of test would be refunded. Every single larger piece from the source of these smaller pieces passed its thermoluminesence test.

NOTICE: Several large pieces ( 1,3,5,7,8 and 28) were not tested because an initial heated probe revealed a surface layer mixture of glue and ground up terracotta. Therefore they cannot be considered authentic and accordingly are priced much lower than those that tested authentic. They can be viewed at NOK TERRACOTTA HEADS (RESTORED) PAGE. Interestingly enough, this surface restoration usually indicates the presence of an authentic core. Complete fakes, made entirely of terracotta, have no need of a composite surface.