Origin: Egypt
Circa: 1600 BC to 600 BC
Dimensions: 1.5" (3.8cm) high x 1.25" (3.2cm) wide
Collection: Egyptian
Style: New Kingdom
Medium: Faience
Additional Information: Sold
Bes was one of the most popular gods in the Egyptian pantheon. He was a popular subject for amulets and appears to have been widely worshipped as a household deity. Part of his appeal appears to have been the perception that he was more accessible and willing to listen to the prayers and supplication of the common man than were the somewhat intimidating state gods such as Amun, Osiris, and Horus. Bes was believed to be a patron god of music and art as well as a protector of pregnant women. He was also held to be a god of war. Bes is usually depicted as a dwarf with a face that has the characteristics of both lion and man. Greco-Roman images of the god, however, frequently show him as a more heroic figure brandishing a sword while on horseback. This light green faience amulet depicts the head of the god Bes with his distinctive leonine facial features, heavy mane-like beard, and protruding tongue. His ears are rather square-shaped, and his head is crowned by a headdress with eight stylized plumes that fan out from his head in an inverted triangular shape. This amulet was probably worn or carried by someone who wished to invoke the protective power of the benevolent god. - (PF.2981)

Antiquities
Ancient Egyptian