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Headrest
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
The shape of this four-legged headrest alludes to cattle, whether bull, ox, or cow. This reference services from the fact that these animals are a source of wealth but also act as mediators between the living and the dead. In earlier days, both headrests and cattle were used in dowry transactions.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineHeadrest, 1800s–1900s. Africa, Southern Africa, South Africa, Zulu-style carver. Wood; overall: 10.2 cm (4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund, 2010.198
