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Source Description
For the Egyptians, the bear was an exotic species, and as early as 2400 BC it figures, though sporadically, in scenes of foreign tribute on tomb and temple walls. Representations of bears in the round are extremely rare. This bear, masterfully carved in hard greenish stone flecked with white, is a little gem. The animal rests on its haunches on a circular base, head bent forward, legs drawn up in a posture not unlike that of the classic pose for Egyptian gods. Sensitivity to such delightful details as the animal's perked-,up ears, tiny face, and wrinkled neck make this tiny giant a rare prize.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
160436
label
Amulet of a Crouching Bear
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
160436
contentType
object
title
Amulet of a Crouching Bear
description
For the Egyptians, the bear was an exotic species, and as early as 2400 BC it figures, though sporadically, in scenes of foreign tribute on tomb and temple walls. Representations of bears in the round are extremely rare. This bear, masterfully carved in hard greenish stone flecked with white, is a little gem. The animal rests on its haunches on a circular base, head bent forward, legs drawn up in a posture not unlike that of the classic pose for Egyptian gods. Sensitivity to such delightful details as the animal's perked-,up ears, tiny face, and wrinkled neck make this tiny giant a rare prize.
date
664–332 BCE
citation
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79981616
genreSpecific
Amulets
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 3.8 cm (1 1/2 in.)
cul
Egypt, Late period (715–332 BCE)
accession
1998.27
Source extras
tec
green porphyry
tombstone
Amulet of a Crouching Bear, 664–332 BCE. Egypt, Late period (715–332 BCE). Green porphyry; overall: 3.8 cm (1 1/2 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund, 1998.27
collection
Egypt - Late Period
didYouKnow
The bear is not native to Egypt, although until the beginning of this century it survived in Lebanon.
creditline
John L. Severance Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 08:19:58.680000
sourceId
160436
dept
Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Art
coll
Egypt - Late Period
med
green porphyry
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
3012fe1660e0c12e