Object Description
A vivid Ancient Egyptian, green-glazed, faience amulet of the dwarf-god Bes. Modelled in the round and in the nude, he has been depicted stylistically with a grimaced face and in his typical squatting position. Both his hands, balled up in fists, are placed on his hips, above his curved, squatting legs, which are firmly planted on the integral, flat, rectangular base. His large belly extends from a wide chest, detailed with a deep navel. Other anatomical details are also still clearly visible on the amulet. The dwarf-god is shown with a full beard, detailed with triangular incisions, deep-set eyes, a furrowed brow, and small, rounded, protruding ears. His mouth is wide open, with his long tongue on full display. He is depicted holding a snake between his teeth, detailed in black faience. The god wears a tall headdress of large ostrich plumes, consisting of four feathers, each enriched with a line of darker pigment. His characteristic lion’s tail can also be seen to the reverse of the amulet, along with the details of his back and legs. His mane-like, animal hair has also been rendered in a darker glaze, with an incised cross-hatched pattern further enriching the amulet. A ribbed suspension loop has been added to the reverse of the headdress.
Date: Circa 664 – 332 BC
Period: Late Period