Protective God
Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
On View: 19th Dynasty to Roman Period, Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Gallery, 3rd Floor
The Egyptians had a special class of deities, including Bes, Aha, and Hayet, that protected mothers and very young children. This piece shows one of these deities nursing an infant god. In antiquity metal rings were inserted into the holes at the top of the headdress and through the pierced ears. When shaken like a rattle, the piece produced a rustling sound intended to soothe a crying baby.
MEDIUM
Faience
DATES
ca. 945–718 B.C.E.
DYNASTY
Dynasty 22
PERIOD
Third Intermediate Period
DIMENSIONS
5 15/16 x 2 1/2 x 15/16 in. (15.1 x 6.4 x 2.4 cm) (show scale)
COLLECTIONS
Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
ACCESSION NUMBER
58.171
CREDIT LINE
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
Light green faience plaque of Bes figure, standing, wears high five feathered headdress. Seated baboons on each shoulder, baboon in profile between knees. In right hand is an oval object, in left, a stylized, elongated crocodile (?). Back: Wears a lion’s tail. At headdress is a bound gazelle in relief. Bes stands ion a papyrus capital. The entire figure decorated with brown spots; headdress decorated with five vertical stripes. Eyes and mouth suggest previous inlays.
Condition: Base partly missing. Tip of object held in left hand is broken. Glaze is somewhat worn on obverse.
EXHIBITIONS
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is on view on the 19th Dynasty to Roman Period, Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Gallery, 3rd Floor
CAPTION
Protective God, ca. 945–718 B.C.E. Faience, 5 15/16 x 2 1/2 x 15/16 in. (15.1 x 6.4 x 2.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 58.171. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.58.171_wwg8.jpg)
IMAGE
installation, West Wing gallery 8 installation, CUR.58.171_wwg8.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2006
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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