ClassificationsAncient Egyptian Art

Bes Amulet

CultureEgyptian

PeriodNew Kingdom

Date1539-1077 BCE

MediumSheet gold

Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. William B. Astrop

Dimensions1 x 7/16 in. (2.5 x 1.1 cm)

Object number2004.062.001

Label TextThe god Bes is perhaps one of the most unusual deities in the Egyptian pantheon. His image is thought to derive from figures of lions standing on their hind legs, but he usually appears with dwarflike proportions and a mask-like face. He is almost always represented with his tongue extended. Bes is an apotropaic deity, meant to act as a protector or one who scares away negative elements. He is especially associated with childbirth and fertility and therefore occurs in domestic contexts as an element in amulets, jewelry, on furniture, and in the form of small statues. Bes amulets are particularly common beginning in the 18th Dynasty and were most frequently made of faience, although some examples of amulets in semi-precious stones do exist.

This particularly fine golden amulet is unusual because of the value of the material and the sensitivity of its workmanship. It would most likely have been the possession of a wealthy elite woman and would have been strung on a chain or cord as a bracelet or necklace. Bes would have been a particularly relevant deity for ancient Egyptians as the process of childbirth was so treacherous. It is important to remember that in the ancient world, while there was a strong desire for fertility and children, the process of childbirth was fraught with danger and many women and children did not survive it. Sometimes, when a woman had a difficult or fatal birth, it was said to be the work of nefarious spirits. Deities such as Bes, while perhaps grotesque to modern eyes, would have been a welcome source of protection at such dangerous points in an individual's life.
Exhibition HistoryFrom Pharaohs to Emperors: New Egyptian and Classical Antiquities at Emory, Michael C. Carlos Museum, January 14 - April 2, 2006
MCCM Permanent Collection Reinstallation, 2006 - January 2011
Monsters, Demons & Winged Beasts: Composite Creatures in the Ancient World, Michael C. Carlos Museum, February 5 - June 19, 2011
MCCM Permanent Collection Reinstallation, June 20, 2011 - Present

ProvenancePurchased by MCCM from Tom Swope, Hudson, New York.

Status

On view

Collections