Egyptian amulet of Bes
€460
available
Object number
AR3407-04
| Object: |
Egyptian amulet of Bes
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| Material: |
Turquoise faience with remains of yellow.
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| Period: |
Ptolemaic to Roman period of Egypt, Late 4th cent. BC to 4th cent. AD. |
| Description: |
The protective amulet shows the god Bes as a dwarf in a crouching position, his hands on his knees. He wears a plume crown on his head. The figurine is designed as a bas relief on the front, the back is flat. There are the remains of yellow on the turquoise faience surface, which are still visible and are known from comparable pieces. A through hole runs transversely under the ears, through which the figurine could be threaded as an amulet. |
| Background: |
In ancient Egypt, Bes was the god of music and dance, and also the protector of children and pregnant women from wild animals and evil spirits. Some sources see him as a god of war, battles and the embodiment of a destructive force of nature. The god Bes appears in Egyptian art from the Middle Kingdom onwards. He is depicted as a dwarf with a hairpiece like for example a lion's mane or a feather headdress. The amulet became the most popular form, it emerged in the 18th Dynasty. It was widely used to protect children and mothers. The amulets were worn both in life and after death.
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| Dimensions: |
45mm high, 26mm wide.
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| Condition: |
Small chip on the headdress, otherwise perfect condition.
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| Provenance: |
Acquired by us on the German art market in 2022. Previously in the German private collection G. L. Acquired in the 1960ies or earlier from an older collection.
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| References: |
Cf. National Museums Liverpool, acc. no. 44.19.142. Cf. Museum of Fine Arts Budapest, acc. no. 51.1720. Cf. Cleveland Museum of Art, acc. no. 1940.654. |
| Literature: |
C. Andrews, Amulets of ancient egypt.
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| Authenticity: |
We unconditionally guarantee the authenticity of every artefact, all items are subject to our lifetime return policy on authenticity.
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