Chokwe Wood Headrest, Angola

Two arches meet in a ringed knot, and a curved plank rests on top.

Chokwe carvers of Angola, Central Africa, made this headrest in wood in the 20th century. Headrests of this type are commonly used across Central and Southern Africa as pillows that keep an elaborate coiffure intact and hold the sleeper’s head clear of the ground. A curved neck support sits on two ribbed, curving legs that meet around a thick central ring. The base is a low, oval plinth. The wood has a dark, glossy brown surface rubbed warm by years of handling.

About 6.5 inches tall. Sculptural enough to keep on a desk for nothing in particular.