A KwaZulu Headrest

This precisely carved wooden headrest has a simple yet powerful form. The curved head support, the two uprights and the sides of the base have all been embellished with bands of deeply incised triangles forming a repeating reciprocal design. A faint pencil inscription on the base reads “FROM MARITZBURG SA”. "Maritzburg" is often used as shorthand for Pietermaritzburg in the heart of KwaZulu province in South Africa.