Gurage Wood Headrest, Ethiopia

A tall, narrow dish of dark brown with a sharply upturned rim.

This carved wood headrest is Gurage, from Ethiopia, East Africa, and dates to the 19th century. Headrests have been used across Africa for centuries to support the neck during sleep, protecting elaborate hairstyles and keeping the head raised off the ground. A rectangular, upright form with a deeply concave top, the edges lifting into slightly pointed corners. The face is dark brown with scattered fine lines and cracks. The rim at the top is nearly black, and the base is flat and square. It is 6 inches wide, 2.25 deep and 6.25 high.

Upright, stern and ready for whatever rests on it.