Headrest

About this object

History of use

Headrests, also called neck rests. Used when sleeping or resting; meant to support the head at the junction of the neck and head when lying down. Usually a personal object; they are portable and may also be used as a stool. In some societies, headrests were thought to channel ancestral communications through dreams.

Narrative

From the collection of Dr. Arap Diop. Tchuemegne acquired headrests 3420/70-78 from Diop, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Physical description

Headrest, or stool, carved from a single piece of wood. The headrest is solid, with both top and sides concave, and resting on an oval base. The sides are incised with designs in an overall concentric V pattern with each composed of zigzag lines.