specific 3 Flashcards
According to the archeological
record, the Nok flourished from approximately
900 bce to 200 ce
people migrated to the nok region around __ due to __
3000 bce;
increasing droughts and the resulting expansion of
inhospitable areas of desert in the north.
unique feature of nok region
annual monsoons that brought abundant water for
seven months out of the year
Nok civilization was
primarily __, though it was in the process of
evolving into a more sophisticated culture, with __
n eolithic;
iron
introduced around 400 BCE
The initial discovery of significant Nok sites occurred
in the
1880s
how were nok sites discovered?
british were trying to discover the source of tin
bernard fagg
came to the nok region in the 1940s as a cadet
administrator of mining operations who also happened
to have training in archeological studies. discovered “Jemaa Head”. worked diligently to ensure that miners
who unearthed such objects in the process of their
excavation operations alerted him to other discoveries.
Indeed, he worked with the local population
as he “sought to gain their cooperation in reporting
and preserving any artifact they would find instead
of destroying it by superstition or ignorance.”
describe mediums in nok terra cotta sculpture
They are coil-built of local
clays mixed with materials such as rock gravel
to add grit and to strengthen the clay so that it
does not break when exposed to high temperatures
during the firing process
nok sculpture – The surfaces of
the terracottas were made smooth through the application
of
a slip of ochre or a solution of decomposed
mica schist before firing
nok figures appear to depict __, as indicated by __
rulers, priests, or other high-ranking individuals;
as indicated by their elaborate hairstyles and costuming,
including ample beaded ornaments
nok figures – Archeological
evidence suggests that the figures were not
used in a funerary context:
they were not found in
tombs or in conjunction with human remains
nok figures – were probably used in religious ceremonies, as __
they
have been discovered in shrines or sacred house
and temple complexes.
artrepro Nok Sculpture: a __ form decorated w/ __
cylindrical;
series of reliefs
artrepro Nok Sculpture: depicts what?
series of narrative scenes. images
of mothers with children, as well as activities
of everyday life, such as processing grain, carrying
water, and cooking food.
who owns the Nok Sculpture?
Musee du Quai Branly in Paris
Nok Sculpture: above smaller relief figures, there are __
6 larger characters – 3 male, 3 female, arms raised, holding a massive snake
4 typical physical characteristics of Nok
characters
stylized eyes and eyebrows, exaggerated
lips and flared nostrils, broad foreheads, and
beaded necklaces.
what does the snake often symbolize in african culture?
A common symbol of fertility and the ancestors in
African culture
significance of snake in Nok Sculpture?
the snake’s connection to scenes
of agriculture and maternity here may relate the
sculpture to some sort of ritual practice connected
to fertility
Igbo Ukwu is a region in
eastern nigeria
describe the name ibgo ukwu
translates to “Great
Igbo” – a name intended “to distinguish it from other
places of that name.
Based on archeological
evidence at the site, the igbo ukwu area appears to have been
a major center for the Igbo people at one time. The
evidence of wealth indicates its function as the residence
of high-status individuals, possibly the priest
class or the king.
igbo ukwu – While the site originally functioned
as the heart of Igbo culture, it appears to have been
abandoned suddenly, possibly in the wake of some
disaster
the first nok bronze items were discovered by
a local
man, Isaiah Anozie, who was digging a hole in order
to install a water tank on his property
It is believed that the inhabitants of Igbo Ukwu
learned the art of lost wax casting around the [ YEAR ] through __
9th century;
their contact with the Arab world
to the north
The first bronze sculptures were created [ where? ] during [ when ]?
island of Crete;
first half of the second
millennium BCE
early bronze works were generally __ and __
small scale, cast as solid forms
solid casting method (bronze)?
simple mold would be made, typically of clay,
and filled with liquefied bronze
Great advancements
were made as the Greeks developed the lost
wax technique, which allowed for
the creation of
much larger structures
The direct method of lost wax casting begins
with
the creation of a basic form developed in clay,
often over some sort of structural armature.
lost wax casting: __ is applied over the dried core and __
thin layer of beeswax,
worked to great detail
“gates”
wax rods that are stuck into the surface of the form in lost wax casting. vents are stuck along with wax rods
investment mold
the clay outer casing that covers the entire structure in lost wax casting, with the various rods and pins left
to protrude through its surface
after the investment mold thing is done, the object is then
fired, either in a pit or a kiln
why is it called “lost” wax casting?
when fired, The wax melts and runs
out of the form through the gates that have been installed
lost wax casting: role of vents?
help the gasses that are produced
during the firing process escape easily
lost wax casting: role of pins?
hold the entire object stable as a thin negative space
develops in the area formerly occupied by the wax
llost wax casting: after negative space is created,
Molten bronze is now poured into the funnel, filling
this negative space
lost wax casting: after the object has cooled,
the
investment mold is broken off.
in the indirect method of lost wax casting, the __ are retained, allowing __, unlike the direct method where __
original sculpture and master mold;
the figure to be recast in the future;
the original (wax) form is lost
nok bowl: held by who?
british museum
nok bowl: what shape
crescent; half-calabash, slightly pinched at the center
