Oromo Wood Headrest, Ethiopia

Sleep on your neck, and your hair survives the night. That was the sense of the headrest across the Horn of Africa. It protected carefully arranged hairstyles and kept the head off the ground, and it was often carried from place to place.

This one was carved by Oromo craftsmen in Ethiopia in the mid to late 19th century. Six inches tall, it has a gently curved crescent pillow above a smooth cylindrical column and a domed, bell-shaped base. Incised concentric rings circle the top and the foot. The deep reddish-brown patina is glossy from long handling, with small dings and wear at the edges.

The simplicity of a well-used thing. A good night’s argument for it.