Description:

Egypt, Romano-Egyptian Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A striking example of a cast-leaded-bronze figure depicting Bes, the dwarf deity who watches over the household, particularly the women and children of the house, protecting them with the magical sign "sa." Depicted here with a long, leonine tail, Bes presents his characteristic bandy-legged pose while he places one hand on his hip and the other on his head. His squat face features thick brows above petite eyes, a protruding nose, a thick mane, and plump lips, all beneath a shoulder-length coiffure and his signature feathered crown. Though the god stands on an integral plinth, a suspension loop is featured at the top of his back, suggesting he would have been worn as an amulet. Size: 0.7" L x 1.4" W x 3.2" H (1.8 cm x 3.6 cm x 8.1 cm)

According to R.H. Wilkinson, "Despite his appearance, which changed in many details over time, Bes was deemed beneficent to humans and he was accepted by all classes of Egyptians as a powerful apotropaic deity. He was especially associated with the protection of children, pregnant women and those giving birth..." (p. 102 in The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt). Bes' complex iconography shows the deity often as a human dwarf/lion hybrid. He continued to be a popular god into the Greco-Roman period, and was adopted by the military as a protective figure.

Provenance: ex-private Studio City, California, USA collection, purchased from major galleries from the late 1960s - late 1990s

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#190525

  • Condition: Age-expected weathering with abrasions to surface as shown. Otherwise, intact with rich patina and encrustations throughout.

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December 6, 2024 8:00 AM MST
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Artemis Fine Arts

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