Pitt Rivers Museum Anthropology and World Archaology

 

Oceania

 

Headrest

Fiji

 

Collected by Thomas Francis Fremantle Cottesloe

Given to the Museum in 1920

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Headrest, Fiji

This is a bamboo headrest with wooden feet, bound by plaited sennit fibre. Throughout the Pacific region, the head is associated with spiritual power and is viewed as the most important part of the body. Headrests are therefore extremely important in supporting this part of the body. In Fiji headrests were reserved for priests and were possibly intended to protect the elaborate hairstyles worn by those of high status.

View database record 1920.43.7