A Dan headrest, Côte d’Ivoire, Man region, with a stylized human head above the convex-shaped body. Dan headrests from the Man (Tonkpi) region of western Côte d’Ivoire belong to a category of intimate, personal objects that illuminate aspects of Dan material culture often overshadowed by the study of masks. The Dan, a Southern Mande–speaking people, are renowned for their refined woodcarving traditions, which extend beyond ritual sculpture into objects of everyday use. Headrests among the Dan served a practical purpose—supporting the head during sleep and preserving hairstyles—but they also carried symbolic weight. In Dan thought, the head is the locus of perception and moral character, and sleep represents a liminal state in which the individual is vulnerable to spiritual forces. Elevating and supporting the head therefore had protective and stabilizing implications, even when the object itself was not strictly ritual. Formally, Dan headrests are carved from hardwood and display restrained, balanced compositions. Some incorporate anthropomorphic supports, often female figures rendered in the smooth surfaces, downcast eyes, and idealized proportions characteristic of Dan sculptural aesthetics. These figures should be read not as portraits but as expressions of moral and aesthetic ideals associated with beauty, composure, and social maturity. Produced in a region noted for dense networks of master carvers and artistic exchange, headrests from the Man area reflect both individual craftsmanship and broader regional styles. As personal possessions rather than communal insignia, they offer valuable insight into how Dan aesthetic and spiritual values permeate daily life, complementing the more public and performative realm of masquerade. Lit.: Eberhard Fischer and Hans Himmelheber: The Arts of the Dan in West Africa, Museum Rietberg, Zürich, 1984; Eberhard Fischer: Dan Artists: The Sculptors Tame, Si, Tompieme and Sõn- Their Personalities and Work, Zurich, 2014; MetMuseum Dan Female Figure; Burkhard Gottschalk: Kunst aus Schwarz-Afrika. Zeugnisse der Meisterschaft afrikanischer Schnitzer aus privaten Sammlungen. Band 2, Düsseldorf 2007. CAB29029