Male Birth-God
ca. 1539–1425 B.C.E.
1 of 3
Object Label
The Birth-God
Over time, the image of the Egyptian birth-god underwent an evolution.
During the Middle Kingdom and at the beginning of the Eighteenth Dynasty, the male birth-god appeared as a lion-man: a human man with a feline mane and tail. Around the middle of the dynasty, the Egyptians sought to combat an increase in infant mortality with a new amuletic form. Beginning with Amunhotep II (circa 1426–1400 B.C.E.), the birth-god’s body assumed the characteristics of a dwarf with short, thick limbs, sunken chest, and fleshy buttocks. Because dwarfs rarely survived infancy in antiquity, one who did was considered magical. By combining the attributes of these “charmed” dwarfs with the ancient lion-man, craftsmen produced a new, more powerful protector of women and children.
Over time, the image of the Egyptian birth-god underwent an evolution.
During the Middle Kingdom and at the beginning of the Eighteenth Dynasty, the male birth-god appeared as a lion-man: a human man with a feline mane and tail. Around the middle of the dynasty, the Egyptians sought to combat an increase in infant mortality with a new amuletic form. Beginning with Amunhotep II (circa 1426–1400 B.C.E.), the birth-god’s body assumed the characteristics of a dwarf with short, thick limbs, sunken chest, and fleshy buttocks. Because dwarfs rarely survived infancy in antiquity, one who did was considered magical. By combining the attributes of these “charmed” dwarfs with the ancient lion-man, craftsmen produced a new, more powerful protector of women and children.
Caption
Male Birth-God, ca. 1539–1425 B.C.E.. Faience, 1 1/4 x 11/16 x 3/16 in. (3.1 x 1.7 x 0.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.912E. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)
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