Nigeria Rock Art Gallery

In general, West Africa is not well known for its painted or engraved rock art and does not have a long history of rock art research. The scarcity of paintings may be predicated on the topography and more humid conditions of the climate, but the shortage of discovered sites to date may indicate that the paucity of evidence is genuine. Painted rock art occurs in the north of the country and comprises humpless cattle, monkeys, antelope and human figures, mainly painted in red. More unique sculptural forms include standing stones engraved with stylised faces and codified motifs, found to the south, and are reminiscent of the burial stelae at Tuto Fela in Ethiopia.