The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of October 9, 2026

A wide silver cuff forms a cylindrical C-shape, open at the back. Its muted gray surface is heavily textured with fine, irregular scratches that pattern the metal like windswept grain. Dark oxidation spots dot the matte, aged finish, while the thin metal walls rise taller than they are wide, ending in slightly uneven edges. Sitting atop a rough gray stone base, the metallic form stands in stark contrast to the dark background.

Element of Wig Decoration

1980–1801 BCE

Egypt, Middle Kingdom , Dynasty 12

(2040–1648 BCE)
silver
Average: 1 cm (3/8 in.)
Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust 1914.795.c
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. 174; Mentioned: p. 174
  • 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=Element of Wig Decoration |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.c