2/17/2026 - Week 6 / Meeting 11: Iron Age / The Last Iron Master

 

I

 

Unit: Iron Age

Theme: Dokwasa / The Last Iron Master

 

Introduction

The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age and the Bronze Age. The concept has been mostly applied to Iron Age Europe and the Ancient Near East, but also, by analogy, to other parts of the Old World (1200 BC - 550 BC). 

 

II

 Learning Objectives

 

• Understand why the Bantu migration was so important
• Explain the role of dance withing the iron smelting process 
• Gain an awareness of the function of a smelting master within a large ritual context
  
• Experience the creation of a three act dance/performance in which you re-enact the three stages of the smelting process
  

 

III

Main Lesson

1

Nok Culture / Iron Age

 

The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age and the Bronze Age. The concept has been mostly applied to Iron Age Europe and the Ancient Near East, but also, by analogy, to other parts of the Old World. Although, the Sahel (Sudan region) and Sub-Saharan Africa are outside of the three-age system, there was no Bronze Age in Sub-Saharan Africa, the term "Iron Age" is sometimes used in reference to early cultures practicing iron-working, such as the Nok culture of Nigeria from 1500 BC to 500 AD. North Africa experienced the Copper and Bronze Ages, but Sub-Saharan Africa is believed to have skipped both these ages. Evidence suggests that Sub-Saharan Africa was introduced to iron metallurgy by the migration of Bantu-speaking peoples into east and southern Africa. The Bantu group was the larges group brought to the Caribbean, specifically Cuba.

The Nok culture is a population whose material remains are named after the Ham village of Nok in Kaduna State of Nigeria, where their terracotta sculptures were first discovered in 1928. Based on evidence from the sites of Nok archaeological culture, such as considerable quantities of charcoal layered among Nok sculptures, goods (e.g., technically crafted ceramics, numerous stone-beaded necklaces) found in burial pits that support the view of them serving as grave sites, difference in soil coloring of burial pits and their immediate geographic area, and burial pits containing materials from organic substances, this supports the conclusion that Nok sculptures were part of a complex funerary culture.

Latter artistic traditions of West Africa – Bura of Niger (3rd century CE – 10th century CE), Koma of Ghana (7th century CE – 15th century CE), Igbo-Ukwu of Nigeria (9th century CE – 10th century CE), Jenne-Jeno of Mali (11th century CE – 12th century CE), and Ile Ife of Nigeria (11th century CE – 15th century CE) – may have been shaped by the earlier West African clay terracotta tradition of the Nok culture.

2

Reading 

 Bantu Migration

 LINK

https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Historical_Encyclopedia_of_World_Sla/ATq5_6h2AT0C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=The%20meaning%20of%20the%20christian%20cross%20for%20Bantu%20people&pg=RA1-PA69&printsec=frontcover

The Historical Encyclopedia of World Slavery (1997). Volume 1. Junius P. Rodriguez (Editor). ABC-CLIO, (page 69).

 

Question 1

Why was the Bantu migration important for the rest of Africa?

 

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IV

Case Study

Dokwasa / Last of the African Iron Master

Borrowed from Nicholas David

Dokwaza: Last of the African Iron Masters (1988; 49 mins)

This is the first of three films on the relationship of African material culture to its larger socio-cultural context made between 1986 and 2010 as a part of the Mandara (Ethno)archaeological Project directed by Nic David and mainly supported by the SSHRC. Filmed at the beginning of a period of rapid technological advances in videography, the quality of the images is now an embarrassment, but the content remains of anthropological value. Iron metallurgy began to transform the societies of sub-Saharan Africa over 2,500 years ago, but locally smelted bloomery iron has now been everywhere replaced by industrially produced stock. 

 

Traditional smelting is a complex process combining science and ritual that was disappearing just as it became feasible to capture it on visual media. This video therefore provides a rare record of a technology whose time has passed, and the reenactment of a smelt by iron workers of the Mafa ethnic group shows a furnace type and a process that are unique to a part of the northern Cameroon and Nigerian border area. 

 

Presented in three sequences (see the outline bellow), Dokwaza is first introduced as we follow the building of the furnace and bellows. Then charcoal and bellows skins are prepared. and the iron master demonstrates how ore is gathered and cleaned. The second sequence follows the long day of the smelt, as the furnace is charged with ore and charcoal, sacrifice made, and, after frenzied working of the bellows accompanied by music and song, a bloom mass is removed from the shaft. The third sequence takes place in the forge and shows the fining of the metal produced and its forging into a traditional hoe.

 

 

CONTENT

1. Construction of the furnace

a) Choosing a site for the furnace

b) Initial prayer and offering 

c) Digging the base of the furnace shaft 

d) Burying a charm beneath the shaft

e) Building the facade

e) Calling of God and the ancestors

f) Bellows are set on the platform

g) sheep skin to create the bags for the bellows

h) Building the Shield

i) Magic decorations

j) Seven day - Ensemble the bellows

k) Adding protective herbs, selection of charcoal

l) collecting magnetite and iron oxide

m) Fire is lit within the shaft

Question 2

Name the instances in which worship and sacred practices are used in this part of the ritual. What would you say is their function?

2. The Smelt

a) Pouring a libation to the Gods

b) Installing upstick with sacred tuber

c) Bellows are readied 

d) Consecration of the smelt

e) War dance (min. 25:00)

f) Prayer with ore and magic herbs down the shaft

g)  Music is played for the first time using the bellows.

h) Offering

i) Blood offering to the ancestors (min. 28:00)

j) Removing  the fused

k) Insertion of medicine plant

l) Monitoring of flame by iron master

m) Bellows stop and cutting through the sides of the shaft

n) Revealing the bloom

o) Bloom is carried to the compound

Question 3

How important is the war dance in this second part of the smelting process compared to other sacred elements of the ritual? Explain. 

3. The Forge

a) Prayer

b) Picking out the metal droplets and lumps

c) Iron is crushed and broken

d) Creation of crucibles

e) Playing the bellows

f) The crucibles are filled with bits iron 

g) Placing crucible in the fire

h) Compacting the iron in the crucible

i) Pulling semi-molten mass from the fire

j) Drawing the iron into a small mass

k) Pieces are welded together

l) Hammering to flatten

m) The blade is spread

n) Quench to give blade the right angle

o) Final touches

(The highlighted items are relate to ritual practice). 

Question 4

The last part of the process seems to include the sacred element only at the beginning. Speculate why this part of the ritual is different from the rest in that sense?

 

What does dance have to do with Master Dokwasa's iron smelting ritual?

 

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V

 

A Note to Remember

 

The African nations that became part of the cultural makeup of our continent as a result of the slave trade brought with them their culture, their gods and their dances.

 

 

VI

 

Discussion Questions

 

 5. Which part of the process impressed you the most? Why?

6. What is the role of dance and ritual in the smelting process?

7. What is the difference between Dokwaza, the iron master, and a shaman?

 VII

Activity 1

Take notes and write a 5 paragraph essay as the story of Dokwasa 

develops. Use the discussion questions above as an outline. Add an intro and a conclusion.

 

 

 Activity 2

 

So far, you have recreated ritual dances in the subjunctive mood.

This is the first time you see a ritual actually performed within the context of and actual prehistoric activity, the smelting of iron.

Create a three act dance/performance in which you re-enact the three stages of the smelting process: Construction of the Furnace, The Smelt and The Forge.

Use 8 moves for each one of the stages by creating a phase for each.  Turn the three phrases into a dance/performance.

 Students making up, record and post your phrase on Discussion Board.

 VIII

Journaling

 

IX

Glossary

 

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Often colloquially pronounced 'shirk,' the SSHRC is a federal research-funding agency that promotes and supports post-secondary research and training in the humanities and social sciences.

Mafa people:  an ethnic group that lives in huts in various villages,  unique to a part of the northern Cameroon and Nigerian border area. The Mafa, also called Mafahay, are scattered in other countries like Mali, Chad, Sudan, Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone.

 

X

Sources

 

XI

Students' Work