Prehistoric Nigeria: The Nok
The Ancients30 Mars 2025

Prehistoric Nigeria: The Nok

In the heart of ancient Nigeria, a mysterious civilisation flourished - known today only through archaeology. The Nok Culture, symbolised by its striking terracotta figurines, remains one of Africa’s most fascinating yet overlooked ancient societies.


In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Kevin MacDonald to uncover the secrets of the Nok. Who were they? Where did they live? And what can their incredible artistry tell us about Iron Age West Africa? From groundbreaking archaeological discoveries to the enduring mystery of their decline, this is the story of one of Africa’s earliest known civilisations.


For more on the ancient Iron Age world, our episode on the Birth of the Iron Age with Eric Cline can be found here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6emHXY7Cv8xImTcVAi4mrf


Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.


All music from Epidemic Sounds


The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.


Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.


You can take part in our listener survey here:

https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Avsnitt(598)

The Picts

The Picts

Emerging around the 3rd century CE and later designated official adversaries of the Roman Empire, the Picts wreaked havoc across the northern fringes of Roman Britain. But due to their limited presenc...

18 Juni 202343min

The First Spears

The First Spears

According to the work of today's guest, Dr Annemieke Milks, humans were using spears approximately 400,000 years ago. Thanks to fragments of wooden spears incredibly well preserved at sites like Clact...

15 Juni 202341min

Human Origins: Australopithecus

Human Origins: Australopithecus

For millions of years, Australopithecus thrived in Africa's vast landscapes, laying the groundwork for the emergence of the Homo genus. Later, alongside early members of the Homo genus, Australopithec...

11 Juni 202343min

Ravenna and the Fall of Rome

Ravenna and the Fall of Rome

The fall of the Western Roman Empire stands as one of the most monumental moments in ancient history, symbolising the end of centuries of Roman dominance in the Mediterranean. However, amidst the crum...

8 Juni 202352min

Boudica's Battle of Britain

Boudica's Battle of Britain

The Celtic queen who led a major uprising against the Roman Empire in ancient Britain, Boudica, is a name known throughout history. Her rebellion, fuelled by grievances against Roman oppression and wi...

4 Juni 202338min

Origins of Horse Riding

Origins of Horse Riding

Human and Horse relationships have long be intertwined; from the ancient Eurasian plain, through to modern cowboys. But how did these huge, independent creatures become domesticated - and what was the...

1 Juni 202344min

Babylon and the Bible

Babylon and the Bible

When looking at the Hebrew Bible, the city of Babylon plays a prominent role - especially in the Old Testament. A city famed for it's architectural beauty and gardens, also holds stories of suffering ...

28 Maj 202341min

The Cyrus Cylinder

The Cyrus Cylinder

An ancient clay artefact that dates back to the 6th century BCE, the Cyrus Cylinder is often considered one of the most important documents in history. Covered in Akkadian inscriptions that provide in...

25 Maj 202357min

Populärt inom Historia

motiv
massmordarpodden
historiska-brott
p3-historia
historiepodden-se
historianu-med-urban-lindstedt
rss-massmordarpodden
rss-brottsligt
olosta-mord
rss-seriemordarpodden
konspirationsteorier
krigshistoriepodden
podme-bio-4
nu-blir-det-historia
rss-historien-om
militarhistoriepodden
vetenskapsradion-historia
rss-folkets-historia
rss-borgvattnets-hemligheter
harrisons-dramatiska-historia