Rendille / Borana Tripod Headrest, Carved Wood, Northern Kenya Pastoralist

East Africa, Kenya, Rendille or Borana. A tripod headrest carved from a single block of wood. The deep crescent rest sweeps up into rounded horns at each end. Below it, two splayed legs flare from the ends of the body and a third leg drops from the center, so the piece stands steady on three soft-edged feet. The surfaces are smoothly rounded with no added decoration. The wood has a warm reddish-brown patina, and the top of the rest shows its grain. Pastoralist men in northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia used headrests of this kind to lift the head during sleep, protecting carefully dressed hair. They also served as small stools, and herders carried them on long journeys with the livestock. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. Item # 203930

Estimate:$500

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