The stone sculptures of Esie, located in Kwara State, Nigeria, form one of the largest known collections of stone figures in Africa
The stone sculptures of Esie, located in Kwara State, Nigeria, form one of the largest known collections of stone figures in Africa. Carved from steatite (soapstone), over 1,000 sculptures, mostly seated or kneeling men and women with detailed hairstyles, jewelery, and symbolic objects, have been discovered near the Yoruba Ìgbómìnà town of Esie. Some figures, especially female ones, hold curved blades, possibly indicating spiritual or political significance.
Though first found by local inhabitants in the 18th century, the sculptures only came to wider attention in 1933. Their exact origins remain unclear, but archaeological evidence suggests they may belong to an early, little-known Yoruba kingdom and date from the 12th to 15th centuries. Local legend holds that the figures were once rebellious settlers turned to stone by a deity.
