Collection
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Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

Headrest of Shemai

ca. 2288–2170 B.C.E.

1 of 3

Object Label

This headrest—the Egyptian version of a pillow—was found in the tomb of a man named Shemai. Headrests were believed to have magical powers that protected the head from evil spirits. The inscription on this example invokes Osiris, god of the afterworld, suggesting that Shemai had it made specifically for his tomb.

Caption

Headrest of Shemai, ca. 2288–2170 B.C.E.. Alabaster, pigment, 7 5/8 in. (19.4 cm) base: 6 3/16 × 2 3/4 in. (15.7 × 7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 59.3. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 59.3_front_bw.jpg)

Title

Headrest of Shemai

Date

ca. 2288–2170 B.C.E.

Dynasty

Dynasty 6

Period

Old Kingdom

Geography

Place excavated: Deir el Nawahid, Egypt

Medium

Alabaster, pigment

Classification

Furniture

Dimensions

7 5/8 in. (19.4 cm) base: 6 3/16 × 2 3/4 in. (15.7 × 7 cm)

Credit Line

Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund

Accession Number

59.3

Rights

Creative Commons-BY

You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.

Frequent Art Questions

  • Have you ever tested out a headrest like this? All I can think is "ow!"

    I've never tried one of those headrests, personally! I do know though, that part of the reason it looks so uncomfortable is that its missing its cushion!
    It's definitely very supportive! It may have also been a cooler way to rest in a very hot climate, since it allows for circulation all around the head and neck (unlike a soft pillow).
    This one was excavated from a tomb, where it was placed with the expectation that the deceased person would have used it in the afterlife.

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