Fot. Jarosław Dąbrowski/PCMA
Headrests were often placed at the head of deceased dignitaries. Such items, made of wood or stone, were used by ancient Egyptians for sleeping, instead of a pillow. To us, this may seem to be look uncomfortable, but similar devices are known from different cultures and were commonly used until recently in Japan, to protect elaborate hairdos. Several wooden headrests have been found by the mission in the tombs of the Old Kingdom officials at Saqqara. One of the scenes on the south wall in the tomb of Merefnebef depicts servants preparing a bed with a similar headrest lying on it.