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Headrests allowed Shona men to protect their elaborate braids. Placed under the neck or chin, frequent contact with hair and hairdressing products darkened its top. Tool marks show how it was smoothed only where the skin would make contact. Linked intimately to their owner, headrests often became burial goods or heirlooms. Recent research suggests Shona headrests symbolized women; small projections on the supports likely reference scarification marks worn by women of marrying age. As only mature men used headrests, it reinforces their female symbolism and women’s societal importance as wives.
Page data
- Page
- 1
- Source index
- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- 7cd43baea282fdfb
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 102921
- Core
- obj
- Type
- object
DTO data
{
"id": "102921",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Headrest",
"description": "Headrests allowed Shona men to protect their elaborate braids. Placed under the neck or chin, frequent contact with hair and hairdressing products darkened its top. Tool marks show how it was smoothed only where the skin would make contact. Linked intimately to their owner, headrests often became burial goods or heirlooms. Recent research suggests Shona headrests symbolized women; small projections on the supports likely reference scarification marks worn by women of marrying age. As only mature men used headrests, it reinforces their female symbolism and women’s societal importance as wives.",
"date": "c. 1910",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1921.1548",
"rights": "CC0",
"rightsUri": "CC0",
"language": "en",
"wikidata": [
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"imageCount": 1,
"source": "import",
"dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 13.4 x 17.8 cm (5 1/4 x 7 in.)",
"cul": [
"Southern Africa, Zimbabwe or Mozambique, Shona-style blacksmith-carver"
],
"accession": "1921.1548"
}
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Document identity
{
"localId": "102921",
"label": "Headrest",
"core": "obj",
"dtoType": "object"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "102921",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Headrest",
"description": "Headrests allowed Shona men to protect their elaborate braids. Placed under the neck or chin, frequent contact with hair and hairdressing products darkened its top. Tool marks show how it was smoothed only where the skin would make contact. Linked intimately to their owner, headrests often became burial goods or heirlooms. Recent research suggests Shona headrests symbolized women; small projections on the supports likely reference scarification marks worn by women of marrying age. As only mature men used headrests, it reinforces their female symbolism and women’s societal importance as wives.",
"date": "c. 1910",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1921.1548",
"rights": "CC0",
"rightsUri": "CC0",
"language": "en",
"wikidata": [
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],
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"cul": [
"Southern Africa, Zimbabwe or Mozambique, Shona-style blacksmith-carver"
],
"accession": "1921.1548"
}
Document source extras
{
"tec": "wood",
"tombstone": "Headrest, c. 1910. Southern Africa, Zimbabwe or Mozambique, Shona-style blacksmith-carver. Wood; overall: 13.4 x 17.8 cm (5 1/4 x 7 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of W. A. Price, 1921.1548",
"collection": "African Art",
"url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1921.1548",
"creditline": "Gift of W. A. Price",
"updatedAt": "2026-05-29 05:33:34.432000",
"imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1921.1548/1921.1548_print.jpg",
"sourceId": 102921,
"dept": "African Art",
"coll": "African Art",
"med": "wood",
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Page context
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