1978.20.44

Collection type

Object

Description

Carved wooden headrest. The seat is rectangular in shape and concavely curved. The base of the headrest is hemispherical and hollow, and is connected to the seat by a stem that flares out towards the base. The stem is perforated in two places, and two leather straps have been threaded through. One of these straps is partially bound with metal wire. [EH [OPS Move] 27/3/2017]

Geographical reference

Kenya

Africa > Eastern Africa > Kenya

East of Mount Elgon

Cultural groups

Tiati

Person

Field collector Jean Brown Sassoon

PRM source Jean Brown Sassoon

Date / Period

Date made: Before 1978

Date collected

By 1978

Acquisition information

Purchased: 1978

Materials and processes

Material Wood Plant, Material Animal Leather Skin, Material Metal Wire, Process Cutwork, Process Strung, Process Hollowed, Process Bound, Process Perforated, Process Carved

Dimensions

Height: max 153 mm, Width: max 90 mm, Length: max 164 mm

Object numbers

Accession number: 1978.20.44 Other numbers: JB41

Associated publications

Illustrated (author's drawing) as Figure 217 on page 230 of African Dream Machines: Style, Identity and Meaning of African Headrests, by Anitra Nettleton (Johannesburg: Wits University Press, 2007). Caption (with image, same page) reads: '217. Oxford, Pitt Rivers Museum (no. 1978.20.44), collected by Jean Brown, Kenya, Mt Elgon, Pokot (Tiati Pokot), ngachar/ndege. The mark left by the base in the soil is said to be like a donkey's hoof-print, wood, leather, 17.8 cm h.' Also listed (same information) on page 453 of the 'List of Illustrations'. [SM 09/05/2008]

Search terms: Furniture Dwelling, Status, Vessel, Headrest