The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of October 9, 2026

Silver electrum tapers and curves vertically to form a sidelock. At the top, the metallic skin is worn away, revealing a dark brown resinous core with two jagged, pointed protrusions extending upward. Patches of green patina and small pits mark the reflective surface. Moving downward, the silver form terminates in a tight spiral curling to the left, creating a contrast between the polished metal and the rough material exposed at the broken crest.

Sidelock (one of a pair)

1980–1801 BCE

Egypt, Middle Kingdom , Dynasty 12

(2040–1648 BCE)
Electrum (?) over a clay-bulked resinous core
Overall: 2.2 cm (7/8 in.)
Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust 1914.795.b
Location: 108C African Jewelry and Metalwork
  • Purchased in Egypt by Lucy Olcott Perkins through Henry W. Kent
  • Berman, Lawrence M., and Kenneth J. Bohač. Catalogue of Egyptian Art: The Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1999 Reproduced: p. 173; Mentioned: p. 173
  • Silver, Gold, and Gems: A Spotlight on Jewelry Across Africa. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (December 7, 2025-December 6, 2026).
    Textures: The Art and History of Black Hair. Kent State University Museum, Kent, OH (organizer) (September 10, 2021-August 14, 2022) https://www.kent.edu/museum/event/textures-history-and-art-black-hair.
  • {{cite web|title=Sidelock (one of a pair)|url=false|author=|year=1980–1801 BCE|access-date=09 October 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1914.795.b