Sidelock of youth

The sidelock of youth was a hairstyle among children and teenagers throughout North Africa, Western Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, East Asia, and to a lesser extent, in the Balkans, and parts of Eastern Europe, mainly during antiquity and the Middle Ages. It originated among the Ancient Egyptians, Indians, and Chinese. In most of the cultures where it was found, the sidelock was used as a divine attribute. However, despite its name, the hairstyle was more of a braid as opposed to an actual lock.