Headrest

ClassificationsFurnishings-Furniture-headrests

Culture Swazi

Date20th Century

Made AtKingdom of Eswatini, Africa

Made AtSouth Africa, Africa

MediumWood

Dimensions5 7/8 × 15 1/8 × 3 3/4 in. (14.9 × 38.4 × 9.5 cm)

Credit LineGift of Anne and Long Shung Shih

Object number2017.11.54

DescriptionThe vertical grooves along the legs, lack of a third leg under the middle of the platform and non-cylindrical legs confirm that this is a Swazi headrest. Swazi headrests were closely informed by their relationship with the Zulu and also both cultures’ relationship to cattle. Many less-stylized Swazi headrests take definite features of cows such as legs and tails, but here we still see a bulky form and phallic appendage marking the middle of the headrest. Double-long headrests were shared by married couples.

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