Gurage Wood Headrest, Ethiopia

Squared shoulders, a shallow dark scoop on top, and a face scuffed to a warm red-brown.

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. Broad and slab-like, the carved block has a nearly rectangular outline with rounded corners and a curved top edge blackened with age. The face is dry and scratched, with a deep mahogany tone and small dark spots. It is 6.5 inches wide, 2.5 deep and 6.25 high.

Plain, well-handled, and unashamed of every scratch.