Gurage Wood Headrest, Ethiopia

Deep red-brown cone, a slim neck, and a curved top as thin as a wing.

This carved wood headrest is Gurage, from Ethiopia, East Africa. Wooden headrests are cut from a single block or assembled from joined parts, and the worn, polished surface of an older example often reflects years of handling. Polished, smooth, wide conical base narrows to a slender stem, which spreads into a long, thin, gracefully arched top. The finish is a rich, glossy maroon, and a faint seam runs down the cone. It is 5.25 inches wide, 4.5 deep and 5 high.

All grace in the neck and very little fuss elsewhere.