Description:

Egypt, Late Dynastic to Ptolemaic Period, ca. 664 to 30 BCE. A beautiful amulet carved from quartz (also rock crystal) depicting the head of Bes, the dwarf deity known as a protector of women and children of a household. The expressive head displays characteristic features such as wide-set eyes beneath furrowed brows, a broad nose, full lips flanked with fleshy cheeks, perky ears, and a shaggy beard that Egyptologists posit resembles a lion's mane. Two caps shaped from 92% to 98% gold (equivalent to 22K+) enclose the head below the chin and above his feathered cap with a top suspension loop able to hold this amulet on a modern necklace strand. Size: 0.4" W x 0.75" H (1 cm x 1.9 cm); quality of gold: 92% for top cap and 98% for bottom cap (both equivalent to 22K+); total weight: 2.2 grams.

Provenance: ex-Phoenicia Holyland Antiquities, New York, New York, USA, acquired December 3, 1991; ex-Craft Caravan, inc.

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#157850

  • Condition: Very slight bending to gold panels, with light abrasions to face, otherwise intact and excellent. Great patina across gold components and nice preservation to Bes face details.

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May 20, 2021 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$300 $999 $50
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$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
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