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Headrest

Late 19th–early 20th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 344
The use of headrests in southern Africa is ancient and has been traced back to the twelfth-century archaeological site of Mapungubwe, an urban center along the Limpopo River. There, evidence of gold sheeting believed to have adorned a long-disintegrated wooden headrest has been recovered. While headrests were designed to serve a functional purpose--to support the head while sleeping in order to protect elaborate hairstyles--their intimate connection with their owners is such that they are also seen as precious vehicles for communicating with an ancestral realm. In many instances, such artifacts are buried with their owners along with other personal items. The design of such works is reflected in a range of regional styles. Shona sculptors and their neighbors to the southeast, the Tsonga, have been credited with the most varied formal solutions to the carving of the support element.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Headrest
  • Artist: Tsonga or Shona artist
  • Date: Late 19th–early 20th century
  • Geography: southeastern Zimbabwe
  • Culture: Shona peoples
  • Medium: Wood, elephant hair
  • Dimensions: H. 4 x W. 2 1/2 x D. 6 3/4 in. (10.2 x 6.4 x 17.1 cm)
  • Classification: Wood-Furniture
  • Credit Line: Gift of Drs. James J. and Gladys W. Strain, 2001
  • Object Number: 2001.759.1
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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Headrest, Tsonga or Shona artist, Wood, Shona peoples
Headrest
Tsonga or Shona artist
late 19th–early 20th century
Headrest, Waropen artist, Wood, Cenderawasih Bay region
Headrest
Waropen artist
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Headrest or headboard, Tellem artist, Wood, Tellem peoples
Headrest or headboard
Tellem artist
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Zoomorphic headrest, Circle of “Unobadula”(?), Wood, Nguni peoples
Zoomorphic headrest
Circle of “Unobadula”(?)
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Headrest, Wood, pigment, Murik Lakes
Headrest
Murik Lakes
late 19th–early 20th century

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