An ancient African terracotta sculpture of a feline animal, probably a lioness, with stylized body, dating from a span of time between the 2nd C. B.C. to the 2nd century A.D. The figure belongs to the central Nigeria cultural sites of the Nok Civilization. Most of the pieces from archaeological sites in and out of the Kaduna State are extremely difficult to date due millennia of a long lasting process of natural erosion and deposition. Nok terracottas were scattered at various depths throughout the Sahel grasslands, causing difficulty in the dating and classification of the mysterious artifacts. The function of Nok terracotta sculptures is still unknown. For the most part, the terracotta is preserved in the form of scattered fragments. That is why Nok art is well known today mostly for the animals and human heads, both male and female, whose hairstyles are particularly detailed and refined. Untested, unknown provenance. Provenance: Kamyas Antiquities and Ethnographic Art, NYC. Weight 1078 grams.

Dimensions: H 6 in. L 7 3/4 in. All measurements are approximate.