Chokwe Wood Headrest, Angola

Circles, triangles and a chevron panel, all carved with a steady hand.

A Chokwe carver of Angola, Central Africa, made this wooden headrest in the 20th century. Chokwe headrests were commonly used as pillows and are often decorated with geometric patterning. A broad central column is cut with nested squares and zigzag bands, flanked by two round discs of concentric rings. Triangular side wings frame the openings. The top is a gently curved neck rest with a hairline crack along one side, and the base is a pair of rounded lobes. The wood is dark with a glossy brown wear.

About six inches tall. Busy underneath, calm on top.