Ethiopian Abba Jifar Pedestal Table

Jimma, in the southwest of Ethiopia, is noted for woodworking. This table is named for its ruler.

The pedestal table takes its name from Abba Jifar, ruler of the Jimma kingdom. Tables of this form served for sharing food, and their tops were often carved from a single wide section of wood. This 19th-century example has a broad round top about thirty-nine inches across, with a gently raised rim and a slightly irregular edge that echoes the shape of the original timber. It stands on a sturdy cylindrical column flaring into a wide rounded foot.

The reddish-brown patina is smoothed by long use, with faint tool marks and small cracks. Bring a few chairs. And a good deal of food.