This headrest originates from the Luba (Baluba) tribe of Zaire also known as the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Baluba people believed that their ancestors could communicate with them through dreams, thus headrests were sometimes called ‘seats of dreams’. Headrests were also used to preserve elaborate hairstyles, which were traditional among the Baluba people. The majority of Baluba art was made for kings and chiefs and as such the headrests were prized possessions of this group as it was personal to them, so much so that upon their deaths the headrests would sometimes be buried with them. The flamboyance of the headrest and the coiffeur of the figure acted as attestation to the importance of the owner. It can be seen that the coiffure of the figure on this headrest is quite elaborate as is the antelope on which the figure is sat upon. It can therefore be hypothesised that the original owner of this headrest could have been someone of some importance. This headrest has a rich patina and displays signs of usage, which does not detract from that fact that it a beautifully crafted piece of Baluba art.