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Source Description

This dwarf-like, protective deity was very popular in ancient Egypt. Bes is represented with the nude body of a dwarf, grotesque facial features, and the ears and mane of a lion. He wears a tall feather-crown and usually rests his hands on his hips. Known from as early as the Middle Kingdom (ca. 2000 BCE), Bes was venerated as a protector of the home, family, and childbirth, and for that reason figures prominently in domestic magic and amulets. His close connection to all aspects of fertility and sexuality is demonstrated by the presence of his image in the "Birth-houses"-shrines associated with temples of the Late Period and Ptolemaic period. He also had a special relation to the goddess Hathor and performed in her retinue as a musician and dancer.This amulet of Bes is a variant of the standard type, representing the god with a protruding tongue and with uraei (cobra serpents), crowned by sun-disks which flank his feathered crown. A rectangular base and a loop behind the head complete the pendant.

Scholar Source Context

Document identity
localId
4631
label
Bes
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
4
Source metadata
id
4631
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Bes
description
This dwarf-like, protective deity was very popular in ancient Egypt. Bes is represented with the nude body of a dwarf, grotesque facial features, and the ears and mane of a lion. He wears a tall feather-crown and usually rests his hands on his hips. Known from as early as the Middle Kingdom (ca. 2000 BCE), Bes was venerated as a protector of the home, family, and childbirth, and for that reason figures prominently in domestic magic and amulets. His close connection to all aspects of fertility and sexuality is demonstrated by the presence of his image in the "Birth-houses"-shrines associated with temples of the Late Period and Ptolemaic period. He also had a special relation to the goddess Hathor and performed in her retinue as a musician and dancer.This amulet of Bes is a variant of the standard type, representing the god with a protruding tongue and with uraei (cobra serpents), crowned by sun-disks which flank his feathered crown. A rectangular base and a loop behind the head complete the pendant.
provenance
Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
ca. 950-700 BCE (Third Intermediate Period)
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Ceramics
pendants
amulets
figurines
imageCount
4
pageCount
4
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
3.8
height
3.5
depth
0.2
dimensionsRaw
H: 1 1/2 x W: 1 3/8 x D: 1/16 in. (3.75 x 3.46 x 0.15 cm)
Source extras
cul
Egyptian
dynasty
22nd-25th Dynasty
med
Egyptian faience with dark blue glaze
creator_ids
6182
collection_ids
EGY
exhibition_ids
none
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
2079ca5805856b03
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
eb261255008f5a4c
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
3
type
photo
mediaId
78bd3d5d58fdffca
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
4
type
photo
mediaId
ca59310ebe214f5e
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no