Context (Field collection)
(Bio): Miss Joyce Baker is the daughter of Reverend H.J. Baker who was a Methodist missionary to the Mashona tribe, in the early twentieth century, (1904-1919), in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe.
Event Date 2/9/2009
Author: maa

Description (Physical description)
Headrest or ‘African pillow’. The foot of the headrest is elaborately carved with concentric circles, V-shapes, triangles and squares. The carving is symmetric and the same at both sides. The top part is slight curved on both ends, which are incised with zig-zag motifs.
Event Date 2/9/2009
Author: maa

Context (Amendments / updates)
The 'Methodist Who's Who' (n.d. ?1912/1913) notes Rev. H. J. Baker as Herbert John Baker, a pioneer missionary in Rhodesia, who worked at the Matabeleland Gold Mines, as Master of the Public School, Selukwe and then in Mashonaland.
The material was all identified as Mashona on entry to the Museum but may also have been been acquired in Matabeleland or Selukwe, now known as Shurugwi.
Event Date 15/4/2019
Author: rachel hand

Description (Physical description)
Dark brown carved wooden headrest or pillow. The top is of an upward curved rectangle, with notched bands at opposing short-ends. The neck is narrow, with carved and grooved circular, square and triangular areas. The pedestal foot is broadly of three sections; circle:diamond:circle shapes.
Event Date 3/2/2023
Author: Jane Pettitt