Neck rest – Wood – Gurage – Ethiopia

Stylistic wooden head rest from the Gurage people of Ethiopia.

This headrest was carved by an Gurage artist to preserve the elaborate hairstyle of its owner during sleep. While carved from a single piece of wood, the base, column and platform are articulated as separate elements.

Ethiopia is the oldest independent nation of Africa, and is home to a myriad of peoples with over 80 different spoken languages.

Personal objects, headrests support the head by cradling it along the jawline, elevating it from the ground. While some regions of central and southern Africa associate headrests with dreaming and divination, they are purely practical in eastern African. Ergonomically, they align the spine, while functionally, they protect intricate hairstyles from dust or from being flattened. Hairstyles, which can take hours to create, are not simply elements of beautification, but serve as the visual representation for their wearer’s social status, age, rank, and gender.

Good condition with slear traces of wear and tear.