Cleveland Museum of Art

Earring

Date

1200s

Medium

bronze

Culture

Cambodia

Department

Indian and Southeast Asian Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This earring is in the form of naga , or water serpent, one of the most popular decorative motifs in Cambodian art. While bronze objects such as furniture and palanquin fittings and finials, hooks, rings, etc., were among the most typical items of the classical Angkorean art (12th–13th century), jewelry is very rare. Originally, it must have been gilt. It is conceivable that this earring may not have been used as a regular ear ornament but enhanced a Khmer sculpture, a common practice, which would explain their heavy weight and large size.

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