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Not many people know that the Nok civilisation were //semi-literate//. Academics have never bothered to decode the meaning of Nok writings.
The Nok civilization is known for its distinctive terracotta sculptures, which are considered to be some of the earliest sculptures made by any civilization in Africa. These sculptures have been found in a number of locations across Nigeria and are believed to date back to between 500 BC and 200 AD. While there is some debate over whether the Nok civilization was fully literate, there is evidence to suggest that they had a system of symbolic writing or proto-writing.
This evidence comes from the discovery of a few inscribed objects that were found among the Nok terracotta sculptures. These objects, which include a potsherd with incised marks and a human head figurine with an engraved mark on the back, suggest that the Nok may have used a form of symbolic writing to convey meaning. However, the meaning of these symbols remains unknown, and it is unclear whether they represent a fully developed writing system or a more rudimentary form of communication. As such, the Nok civilization is generally considered to be semi-literate or pre-literate.
