The thread is made to showcase all historical evidence of life in Nigeria from the Nok, to Benin to ife to nri, this thread is for all Nigerians to come together and Leicester together Nigeria’s history, hopefully we’ll all be able to learn something about the history of other people in Nigeria, I’ll get the thread started off.

Nok terra-cotta sculptures: circa 1500BC - 500AD, first found in 1928 in Kaduna state, Nigeria, they are thought to depict important people in the society at the time, distinct features on them are the ovular eyes and intricate hairstyles.

The lines found all around the sculptures are likely the beads that the royals or nobles would have worn and this is found present in most of the other Nigerian empires established after the Nok, which means there might be a possibility of a link between the Nok culture and ife, Benin, nri and the Hausa City states.

The first sculpture seems to show three different people at the top likely royals or nobles who are watching over the work of the commoners, who are smaller and at the bottom, it looks like the commoners are holding a tool of some sort, so there could be the potential that, that this sculpture was made to show the making of the Nok sculptures or to show the social hierarchy at the time. Or even potentially showing how the royals and nobles modeled for their sculptures to be made by the artists. It is all very interesting, and gives us an idea into the customs and ways of the early nigerian.

Next we’re looking at igbo land where the earliest iron smelting site was found in lejja in present day Enugu site, this is likely where the ancestors of the blacksmiths that created the Benin bronzes and ife artefacts started off, to learn the skills of the trade, but if you look at th iron smelting site you’ll find a triangular or cone like structure surrounded by the iron slag, smaller but still similar to the nsude pyramids, now allegedly lost.

Now compare these two

The lejja iron smelting site has been dated circa 2000BC, making it one of the oldest ones in the world, an ancient iron smelting site in Nigeria. Which ancient society or empire could be located here that created such advanced technology, going by iron reserves the closest ones to lejja were found in nsude which just happens to be the location of the pyramids which is weirdly similar to the pyramid found in lejja,

The ones found in nsude are significantly larger and more structured then the ones at lejja, could a generation of iron smelters from lejja have moved up to nsude, becuase of its proximity to the raw material needed for iron, I think that the answer is yes, yet westerns archaeologists believe it was used to worship ala, I seriously doubt that. Because if you look at the whole area, you’l find that lejja is not the sole iron smelting site in the area, there are several others, showing evidence of an advanced and United iron smelting society, infact the first one in the whole world. But now the question arises, what did they use the iron for and where did they live, is there any evidence of houses, buildings, artefacts etc dated as far back as that, and for now, the answer is no. But maybe we’ll find something sooner or alter to give us more information on the ancient igbos or whatever ethnicity they were at the time.

Furnace found in the area.

This article may be true, but the information and evidence displayed is very convincing. What really happened 4000 years ago in Nigeria, igboland to be precise.

1. Ohafia Totem Post of different figures in
front of Ndi Odo hall, now in ruined state, Asaga Ohafia

2. Ohafia Totem Post in front of Ndi Odo hall, in former days of Glory

PAGAN9JA:
1. Ohafia Totem Post of different figures in
front of Ndi Odo hall, now in ruined state, Asaga Ohafia

2. Ohafia Totem Post in front of Ndi Odo hall, in former days of Glory

Thank you for the contribution, what’s the story behind them, what’s the meaning and do they still exist.

Ile ife potsherd pavements, long before the Europeans came to Nigeria, in ile ife there were paved roadways going through the whole cities. Made of potsherds ( fragments of pottery) basically hardened clay dried into mud, to create a pavement to walk on, it started in the 10th century after the Queen got her dress messy whilst walking to a shrine, so she ordered for all roads in the city to be paved. And ever since then they continued it up till the Europeans came.

Excavation sites below.

They were also found I ope odu

Walls of the Hausa city states. Although it is almost completely lost. Most cities in the north had great walls, the most popular being those of Kano. They were used to protect and fortify the city. They were built over a period of 39 years from 1095-1134 it was started under king sarki gijimasu and was finished and expanded by king zamnagawa.

More

Abohboy:


Thank you for the contribution, what’s the story behind them, what’s the meaning and do they still exist.

The first one is the same post in its current ruined state. Yes they exist and are attached to the Obunkwa Shrine of Ohafia. They contain images of animal spirits reverred in Igbo religion (Odinani). I spot an alligator there. As well as details of trophy human heads as the Igbos of the Aro Confederacy were headhunters and human skulls were seen as sacred and containing power (the head). It might also have fertility associations as the top seems to be of phallic shape. It is a totem.

I believe Igbos from Ohafia need to reconstruct it.

PAGAN9JA:


The first one is the same post in its current ruined state. Yes they exist and are attached to the Obunkwa Shrine of Ohafia. They contain images of animal spirits reverred in Igbo religion (Odinani). I spot an alligator there. As well as details of trophy human heads as the Igbos of the Aro Confederacy were headhunters and human skulls were seen as sacred and containing power (the head). It might also have fertility associations as the top seems to be of phallic shape. It is a totem.

I believe Igbos from Ohafia need to reconstruct it.

I see very interesting, I wonder if there are any others similar to this spread around that area or if this is a unique object or custom.

Abohboy:


I see very interesting, I wonder if there are any others similar to this spread around that area or if this is a unique object or custom.

A lot was destroyed especially during the Biafra war.

PAGAN9JA:


A lot was destroyed especially during the Biafra war.

I see

From your write-up,is lejja the oldest cultural site in Nigeria? Older than Nok?

hitmanogo:
From your write-up,is lejja the oldest cultural site in Nigeria? Older than Nok?

Yes seems like it other 500 years older then the Nok Culture

Lejja is right up there with the oldest radiocarbon-dated ironworking sites in the world. Certainly the oldest in Nigeria.

Interesting......I know we can do much better in keeping our history alive.