Cylindrical Bead
Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
On View: Egyptian Orientation Gallery, 3rd Floor
One of the most powerful protective deities was Bes, a bandy-legged, potbellied god with a fiercely grinning leonine face and a lion’s feet and tail. Another was Taweret, a pregnant hippopotamus standing upright on lion’s feet with a very schematic representation of a crocodile on her back. This cylindrical bead includes a Bes image, two Taweret figures, and a snake, another protective symbol.
MEDIUM
Steatite, glaze
DATES
ca. 1938–1759 B.C.E.
DYNASTY
Dynasty 12
PERIOD
Middle Kingdom
ACCESSION NUMBER
44.123.34
CREDIT LINE
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
PROVENANCE
Archaeological provenance not yet documented; by 1944, acquired by Dikran Kelekian of New York, NY; 1944, purchased from Dikran Kelekian by the Brooklyn Museum.
Provenance FAQ
CAPTION
Cylindrical Bead, ca. 1938–1759 B.C.E. Steatite, glaze, 1 1/4 x 1/4 in. (3.1 x 0.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 44.123.34. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , CUR.37.711E_44.123.34_37.707E_erg456.jpg)
IMAGE
group,
CUR.37.711E_44.123.34_37.707E_erg456.jpg.
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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Are these ancient broaches?
Not quite, but they are pieces of jewelry. The one in the middle is a bead and the two on either side are pendants. They were all meant to be strung on something, like a necklace or bracelet.
If you look closely, you'll notice that the two outer pendants have bale (small loop or hollow channel) for attaching to a string or chain. Each of these pieces depicts a protective