These ancient Egyptian headrests, particularly those in the form of a solid block, have striking similarities to headrests from East Africa that were crafted five thousand years later. The practice of using headrests is believed to have originated two to three hundred years ago in Southern and Central Ethiopia.
The most popular headrests in this region are the single block, the columned rest with a curved platform, and the conical base with a curved platform, as exemplified by one of the pieces. Because headrests are portable, they were once widely used among pastoralist groups in Ethiopia and other parts of Eastern Africa. However, their use has become less prevalent today, as many pastoralists have transitioned to sedentary farming or have relocated to urban areas.
The diversity of Ethiopian headrests cannot be ascribed to a single ethnic group or gender but rather is hand-carved by a variety of south-central Ethiopian peoples, including the Oromo, Sidaama, and Gurage. Some shapes and decorations are also shared with neighboring Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan, indicating the transfer of forms across the region.
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