We do know, however, that they uncovered the mysteries of iron . Iron is a metal found in rocks. The Nok discovered that by heating certain rocks, they were able to smelt iron. Iron is a very useful substance. It can be reshaped for many different purposes, including making weapons and plows.
Iron conducts heat very well and can be used for cooking and heating.
A civilization that had discovered iron would be more advanced than those that had not. The discovery of the uses of iron was a major technological achievement of the ancient Nok of sub-Saharan Africa. Most ancient cultures discovered copper and bronze before iron, but the Nok apparently moved from the stone age to the iron age. That question remains a mystery that archaeologists may someday understand. The Nok Museum of African Arts is dedicated to the study, preservation and exhibition of all forms of African arts and its derivatives.