Egypt, Ptolemaic to Roman period, ca. 332 BCE to 200 CE. A faience amulet of discoid form featuring the head of Bes, the dwarf deity known as a protector of women, children, and the weak. The god is depicted traditionally with a straight beard, arched brows, large ears, an open mouth, and a flat headdress, while an incised cross adorns the verso. The ribbed periphery features a lateral drill hole allowing the piece to be worn as a bead or pendant. Bes watched over the household, particularly the women and children of the house, protecting them with the magical sign sa. An amulet like this one was made to be worn for protection, perhaps by a mother. Size: 0.9" Diameter (2.3 cm)

Provenance: private Matrisciano collection, Thousand Oaks, California, USA, before 2002

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#176422

Light surface wear commensurate with age, but otherwise intact, excellent, and wearable with nice preservation of detail and earthen deposits in recessed areas.