Idanre · Ondo State
Idanre Hills
Hilltop settlement above Idanre town, occupied for centuries and reached by a long stone stairway.
Cultural LandscapeUNESCO Tentative List
Culture & HeritageArchaeological SiteUNESCO Tentative List
Alok Ikom Stone Monoliths
Ikom, Cross River State · South South
Photograph: Dotun55 (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Carved basalt monoliths standing in village circles around Ikom, incised with faces and geometric marks.
Why it matters
Several hundred carved basalt monoliths standing in village circles around Ikom, listed by Nigeria on the UNESCO Tentative List.
History
Archaeological accounts propose a range of dates for the carvings without firm consensus. Community oral history in the Nnam, Nta and Nselle areas associates the stones with ancestors and lineage commemoration. Researchers have also read the incised marks as a possible notational system, though this interpretation remains debated.
Cultural significance
Community oral history associates the stones with ancestors and lineage commemoration; researchers have proposed, without consensus, that the incised marks form a notational system.
Local stories and traditions
Local custodians in the Nnam, Nta and Nselle areas maintain the circles. A number of stones have been lost to theft and bush fire.
What visitors can experience
- The Alok circle
- Carved facial and geometric motifs
- Community-guided interpretation
Responsible travel
Ask permission at the village before entering a circle. Do not touch, chalk, climb on or move the stones.
Visitors should follow local guidance and community protocols. Do not enter restricted sacred areas, remove artefacts, disturb wildlife or damage archaeological remains.
Location
Alok, Ikom LGA, Cross River State
Ask permission at the village before entering the circle, and do not touch, chalk or move the stones.
Coordinates not confirmed.
Open the full destination guideSources and references
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre tentative list
- National Commission for Museums and Monuments (Nigeria)
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre tentative list
Record last reviewed 2026-08-20 · Reviewed. Where historical accounts differ, we say so rather than presenting one version as settled.
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