Object Details
- Label Text
- While watching over livestock, men in East Africa use headrests. They may be carried during the day as a sign of status. African headrests are designed to cradle the neck and support the head. They protect coiffures and elevate the head for sleeping or watching the herd.
- Headrests display an amazing variety of shapes. In some, one sees the original form of the tree trunks or branches from which they were carved. Others bear little resemblance to the wood's natural form. Generally, the head support is a curved rectangle; the legs, pedestals and decorations, however, demonstrate the cultural style and the work of the individual artist.
- Description
- T-form wood headrest with a metal rod handle on the side.
- Provenance
- Dr. Werner Muensterberger, New York, ca. 1950-1980 to 1989
- Content Statement
- As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
- Image Requests
- High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
- Data Source
- National Museum of African Art
- Maker
- Turkana artist
- Date
- Early to mid-20th century
- Credit Line
- Museum purchase
- Medium
- Wood
- Dimensions
- H x W x D: 17.0 x 30.8 x 12.2 cm (6 11/16 x 12 1/8 x 4 13/16 in.)
- Type
- Decorative Arts
