Neck rest - Wood

Shona Headrests Object Details

Manufacturer
Shona Artist
Tsonga Artist
Label text
Shona and Tsonga headrests share similar stylistic characteristics. This headrest is typical of the Shona style.
Some elements of these headrests evoke femininity: the triangular shape at the center of the base, the flake-carved areas at the ends of the upper platform, imitating female scarifications (nyora), and the bands of beads wrapped around the support. Research has located the origin of a headrest comparable to Chipinga, in the southeast of Mozambique, attributing it to the Tsonga.
Originally, the headrest served as a wooden pillow to prevent elaborate and well-oiled hairstyles from flattening or getting dirty in the dust. Headrests were reserved for adult men. Although elaborate hairstyles, consisting of adorned tufts tied with beads, are no longer common among the Shona and Tsonga, headrests retain religious and ritual functions. They are said to have been used to pray to the ancestors. They are also part of the equipment of mediums; their association with the ancestors authenticates their practices. They are linked to the widespread belief in Shona society that dreams are an important means of acquiring knowledge and solving problems. It is also believed that dreams help artists, particularly musicians and sculptors, to realize their creations.

The use of headrests in Southern Africa is ancient. Excavations at Great Zimbabwe have revealed gold plaques that probably covered headrests buried with their owners from the 12th century CE. Other headrests have been found in caves that served as burials for the Shonas over the centuries. More recently, Shona headrests that were not buried with their owners have been passed down to male heirs, likely perpetuating an ancient practice.