Dinka Headrest

This Dinka headrest is a simple and elegant sculptural piece that will style beautifully in any room in the house. The Sudanese Dinka tribe’s inherent sober and contemporary designs are due to the Islamisation of East Africa as there was little figurative art. We love these unique and individual organic shapes. The Dinkas hand carved their headrests (or neckrests) from one solid piece of indigenous wood. Headrests were used to support sleep and to preserve hairstyles (which were elaborate and reflective of age and status). These multi-purpose structures were also used as stools for the elders as it wasn’t considered proper for elderly men to sit directly on the ground.