Gurage Wood Headrest, Ethiopia

A small curved block with a shallow dip and a reddish glow at the base.

This carved wood headrest is Gurage, from Ethiopia, East Africa, and dates to the 19th century. The Gurage peoples live in the highlands of south central Ethiopia, and they are known for farming, trade and the cultivation of the enset plant. A squared, upright block whose top is scooped into a shallow curve. The surface is dark reddish-brown, with a long vertical crack running down the front. A lighter orange tone shows at the lower corners, and the edges are softly rounded. It is 6.63 inches wide, 2.5 deep and 6.13 high.

Plain curves, with a long and slightly cracked memory.