Abstract
The popular yet demonic guardian of ancient Egypt, Bes, combines dwarfish and leonine features, and embodies opposing traits such as a fierce and gentle demeanor, a hideous and comical appearance, serious and humorous roles, an animalistic and numinous nature. Drawing connections with similarly stunted figures, great and small cats, sacred cows, baboons, demonic monsters, universal gods and infant deities, this article will focus on the animalistic associations of the Bes figure to illustrate that this leonine dwarf encompassed a wider religious significance than apotropaic and regenerative functions alone. Bes was thought to come from afar but was always close; the leonine dwarf guarded the sun god Ra along the diurnal solar circuit; the figure protected pregnant women and newborn children; it was a dancer and musician; the figure belonged to the company of magical monsters of hybrid appearance as averter of evil and sword-wielding fighter. Exploring the human and animal, demonic and numinous aspects of this leonine dwarf will not only further our understanding of its nature and function, but also its significance and popularity.
Highlights
Much has been written about his exact status and nature, his origin and his function—much less so about his significance, a subject that promises to elucidate his widespread popularity from the Eighteenth Dynasty onwards well into the Roman period
He is considered a grotesque demon, a deformed dwarf, a pygmy from far away, a fierce animal wielding his knife, a jolly dancing musician, a brave warrior fighting against the forces of evil, a guardian spirit of the household and family life within it, a New Kingdom addition to the Egyptian pantheon, a protective deity of all of Egypt worshipped throughout the Nile Valley since Pre-dynastic times, yet for whom no temples were built and no priests were installed
Though this paper will not be able to address all categories I will argue that Bes transcends definition by combining human and animal, demonic and numinous traits—and because of this multivalence was highly suitable for popular religious beliefs
Summary
Hideous Bes is a well-known figure of ancient Egyptian popular religion (Figure 1). In the Ptolemaic period, or just before, the so-called Bes Chambers of the great gods of Egypt—and in every conceivable material and medium (sculpture, furniture, jewelry, were constructed at Saqqara and birth chapels (mammisis) were built in several of the larger temple complexes (Figure 2).. In the Ptolemaic period, or just before, the so-called Bes Chambers of the great gods of Egypt—and in every conceivable material and medium (sculpture, furniture, jewelry, were constructed at Saqqara and birth chapels (mammisis) were built in several of the larger temple complexes (Figure 2).6 It is not until the Roman Imperial age that a temple may have been erected in.
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