TSONGA, ZIMBABWE/MOZAMBIQUE/SOUTH AFRICA

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Ubiquitous in southern African societies, headrests were prized and revered as indispensable items, not only for their protection of carefully maintained coiffures during sleep but also in their spiritual role as conduits of communication with ancestor spirits.

This gem of a headrest shows the primary hallmarks of the Tsonga carving tradition, with a gently convex platform flanked by downward-pointing flanges, an openwork center, and a stout, figure-eight base. Surface details are limited to the foot of the rest, which is grooved with a host of shallow, overlapping channels that evoke a profusion of roots. The central design with its hourglass-shaped framework is eye-catching, and the slenderness of its elements is emphasized by the thick, trunk-like base. Old collection number 1214 on underside.