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Five Egyptian amulets of Bes

€300
available
Object number
AR3407-12-16
Object: Five Egyptian amulets of Bes

Material: Faience and stone.

Period: Late period to Ptolemaic era of Egypt,
Circa 7th cent. BC to 1st cent. BC.

Description:    The five protective amulets or figurines, respectively, shows the god Bes as a dwarf in a crouching position, his hands on his knees. He wears a plume crown on his head, preserved and visible for three of the pieces.

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.

Dimensions: Four figurines 11mm to 16mm high, the fifth and biggest figurine 26mm high.

Condition: Very good condition for three figurines. Two figurines preserved as a fragment.

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.

Literature: C. Andrews, Amulets of ancient egypt.

Authenticity: We unconditionally guarantee the authenticity of every artefact, all items are subject to our lifetime return policy on authenticity.