Egyptian amulet of a Bes mask
€180
available
Object number
AR3407-10
| Object: |
Egyptian amulet of a Bes mask
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| Material: |
Turquoise faience.
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| Period: |
Late period to Ptolemaic era of Egypt, Circa 7th cent. BC to 1st cent. BC. |
| Description: |
The flat amulet shows the head of the god Bes as a mask. Plume crown on the head.
A through hole runs transversely through the feather crown, through which the mask could be threaded as an amulet.
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| 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: |
17mm high, 12mm wide.
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| Condition: |
Perfect condition. The through hole is blocked by find deposits.
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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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| 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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