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Headrests are used by men and women in many areas of Africa. Headrests are portable and publicly visible objects of prestige. In some places, they can be used as political gifts and as symbols that legitimatize leadership. These items are made from stone, ivory, ceramic and, most commonly, wood. The earliest examples we know of come from ancient Egypt. Headrests are personal objects that serve many purposes. They cradle the neck and support the head like a pillow, they protect elaborate hairstyles and they may aid in dreams, where an individual can communicate with ancestors. The ancient Egyptians and Nubians buried some of their dead with headrests.

Among the Shona, headrests are used only by men. The circles on this example may represent female breasts, scarification, a seashell or the ripple of water in a pool. All of these symbols relate to fertility or the importance of predicting future events.