Stylized Bes mask
€250
available
Object number
AR3407-11
| Object: |
Egyptian styilized miniature Bes mask
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| Material: |
Stone with white and grey texture.
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| Period: |
Ptolemaic era of Egypt, Early 4th cent. BC to 1st cent. BC. |
| Description: |
The flat stone shows the head of the god Bes as a mask. Plume crown on the head. The rest of the face is highly stylized.
There is no through hole for threading the mask, but it is certainly modelled after similar Bes amulets.
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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: |
20mm high, 18mm wide.
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| Condition: |
Perfect condition. Surface preserved with some nice detail.
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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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