The Iconography of Bes With Particular Reference To The Cypriot Evidence

Levant
The Journal of the Council for British Research in the Levant
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The Iconography of Bes with Particular Reference

to the Cypriot Evidence
Veronica Wilson
To cite this article: Veronica Wilson (1975) The Iconography of Bes with Particular Reference to
the Cypriot Evidence, Levant, 7:1, 77-103, DOI: 10.1179/lev.1975.7.1.77
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THE ICONOGRAPHY OF BES WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO
THE CYPRIOT EVIDENCE
by Veronica Wilson
The Egyptian god Bes and his non-Egyptian relatives have never been the subject of an extended
study, though they playa lively part in the art of Cyprus and the Levant in the first millennium B.C.
This paper, by concentrating on the Cypriot evidence (see the catalogue on pp. 101 if.), seeks only to
lay the foundations for such a study. As the Cypriot representations are by no means standardized,
well illustrating the Cypriot tendency to borrow and confuse elements from various sources, they
provide an excellent focus for a review of the whole iconography of this popular deity, whose origins
and role in Egyptian art must first be fully explored.
Downloaded by [Universite Laval] at 08:20 08 May 2016
I. EGYPTIAN " BES "1
" Bes " is the name commonly given to a group of Egyptian dwarf gods. Although this name is
regularly used by modern scholars it is rarely found in Egyptian texts, but we have it from Roman
writers who record oracles of " Bes " and his worship. In Egyptian texts it appears occasionally
from the Ptolemaic period, sometimes with a determinative sign showing a frontal figure with bandy
legs, his arms bent and his hands resting on his thighs. He normally wears a feather crown, and the
tail of a lion-skin is often visible between his legs. Other names may be given to these dwarf gods,
such as " Ehaujt " and " Hit", and these are found as early as the Middle Kingdom. However
attempts2 to define the distinguishing characteristics of the various gods are not entirely successful and
it is clear that at least from the New Kingdom the different dwarf gods became confused. Thus it
seems best to use the name collectively to refer to all the Bes-like gods.3 Scholars have claimed a
foreign origin for " Bes" and there is some evidence to suggest that he came to Egypt from the
south,4 but this still remains an open question.
The earliest evidence for the Egyptian dwarf gods is of the Middle Kingdom.5 A text on a wooden
headrest in the British Museum begins, " The sayings of the many Hippopotamus goddesses and the
many dwarf gods." On the other side is represented, in frontal view, a figure with bandy legs with a
tail hanging between them. His hands rest on his thighs and in his left hand he holds a snake. He
has shaggy mane-like hair. Apart from the missing feather crown, this figure is close to the later
ideogram for" Bes ", and this is the most popular form of the god throughout his history. A similar
figure appears on· Middle Kingdom ivory wands6 which had some magical properties, apparently
considered capable of warding off such evils as snakes and scorpions, and they were used by the living
1 The most comprehensive studies are, Krall; Ballod; G. 5 Ballod, pp. 24-7. A grotesque head acting as the support for
Roeder, ;lgyptische Bronzejiguren (Mitt aus dem deutschen Samm- a mirror handle has been assigned by some to the OK and
lungen VI 1956), pp. 91 fr. by others to Dyn.vi. It may represent a version of " Bes ",
2 Especially, Ballod. see Ballod, p. 38 and Miroirs, p. 7, no. 44.017, PI. IV. On an
3 As, H. Bonnet, Reallexicon des iigyptischen Religiongeschichte OK relief a figure dressed in a kilt and wearing a lion mask
(1952), pp. 101-9· and holding hieroglyphs has been identified as "Bes ", J.
4 Ballod, pp. 14 fr. for summary of opinions up to 1914. More Capart, BIFAO XXX (1930), pp. 73-5. However, more
recently, Bonnet, op cit. Cf. also, Roscher I, pp. 2880-98; probably this is a human wearing a lion mask which was
P. Perdrizet, Les Terres Cuites de la Collection Fouquet (1921), regularly worn at ceremonies, M. Stracmans, Annuaire
pp. 41 fr. For coins circulating in NW Arabia in the fourth Institut de Philologie et d' Histoire. Brussels VII (1952), pp. 427
century B.C. showing" Bes " types see, E. Babelon, Trait! des ff.
Monnaies Grecques et Romaines II.2 (1910), pp. 662-70, PI. 6 F. Legge, PSBA XXVII (1905), pp. 130-52; Ballod, pp.
CXXIV; BMC Coins Palestine (1914), pp. lxxxiii-lxxxix, 27-g; I. E. S. Edwards, Introductory Guide to the Egyptian
182-3, PI. XX.I-4; C. Lambert, QDAP II (1934), pp. 1 ff., Collections in the British kJuseum (1969 ed.), p. 12 I, Fig. 43.
nos. 45-8, PI. I I.
77
78 LEVANT
as well as the dead. A blue faience figurine from a tomb at Drah abu'l Neggah7 is somewhat similar
to the representations just discussed and here the god wears a lion-skin, his normal dress.8
In the New Kingdom the Bes-gods became very popular and they remained the popular gods par
excellence right through the Roman era. Often forms of " Bes " found in the New Kingdom remain
unchanged throughout his history, and it will therefore be convenient to discuss the various guises of
the god, noting in the relevant places any preference for a particular type at a certain period.
(a) "Bes" is frontal and squatting. He is naked apart from the lion-skin whose tail is usually visible
between his legs, and he often wears a feather crown. His hands rest on his thighs and his features are
normally grotesque, animal rather than human. He is usually bearded and has mane-like hair
(Fig. 1.2).
This is " Bes " at his most typical. Numerous examples are found from the New Kingdom on-
wards, and in several respects the type continues the Middle Kingdom version. The posture is the
same, and he usually still has the mane-like hair and the tail is often visible between his legs. New is
the feather crown which, like the animal skin, becomes one of the distinguishing characteristics of
" Bes ". It differs from the feather crowns of Lower Egypt worn by kings and gods,9 but is similar
to that worn by Anukis,IO a goddess of Nubian origin who was worshipped particularly in Lower
Egypt. Two ivory figurines in a private collection show" Bes " in this guise, wearing the feather
crown, and Ballodll places them in the Old Kingdom. There is no independent evidence for their
date. As they differ considerably from the datable representations of" Bes " of the Middle Kingdom,
it is more likely that they are later, perhaps belonging to the New Kingdom. In this guise" Bes " is
made into faience amulets,12 he decorates furniture particularly headrests,13 and acts as a support for
mirrors and other toilet articles.14 He also decorates vessels15 and is sometimes shown amidst
papyri16 or with apes (considered further below).
These representations of " Bes" change little during this long period. In the Saite period
(663-525 B.C.) 17 his square-cut beard is on occasion replaced by a spiral beard, and these two
varieties become interchangeable. At the same time a particular version is found showing the
god frontal and squatting, his hands on his thighs, with grotesque features, spiral beard and feather
crown, wearing a cord around his hips and the head of the lion-skin visible on his chest. The tail can
still sometimes be seen between his legs. This modification remains popular into Roman times
(Fig. I. I) .18
(b) "Bes" is frontal and squatting as in (a), but can be winged, and/or wear a kilt which may be a
simple pleated one, or made of decorated material, or secured by a long sash (Fig. 1.4).
Clothed and winged Bes-gods are comparatively rare in Egypt. Both features are probably of
Oriental inspiration and will be considered in more detail in § 2. While a clothed " Bes " is found on
7 Ballod, pp. 39-40, Fig. 17; G. Steinrlorff, Catalogue of the 15 E.g. kohl pots, Objets de Toilette, p. 58, nos. 18.584, 44.593,
Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore (1946), p. 143, no. 624, PI. PI. XXV.
XCIV. 16 Decorating chalice of the second half of the tenth century
8 Occasionally a leopard skin is worn, identifiable by its spots B.C.; G. A. D. Tait, JEA XLIX (1963), p. 122, no. xxviii,
as Ballod, Figs. 34 (middle), 35; BM no. 12591; Burrell PI. XX.I0, c£ pottery from Tell el Amarna of 1372-1350
Collection, Glasgow no. 13/145. G. Jequier, RT XXXVII B.C.: T. E. Peet and C. L. Woolley, City of Akhenaten I (1923),
(1915), pp. II4-18 and Heuzey, Catalogue, pp. 61 ff. claim p. 141, PI. XLV.4.
that the skin is always that of a leopard. 17 The Egyptian chronology followed in this paper is as: E.
9 For these see Ab el MonemJoussef Abubakr, Untersuchungen Hornung, Untersuchungen zur Chronologie und Geschichte des
iiber die iigyptischen Kronen (1937), pp. 38 ff. Neuen Reiches (1964); K. A. Kitchen, The Third Intermediate
10 G. Roeder, AZ XLV (1908), pp. 23-4. Period in Egypt (1100-650 B.C.) (1973).
11 Ballod, p. 36, Fig. 10. 18 Statues, pp. 181 ff., nos. 38.705, 38.707, 38.738, PIs. XXXIX,
12 For faience amulets of the Late Period see The Cemeteries of XLI; M. Werbrouk, Bulletin des Musees Royaux, Brussels XI
Kush I-V passim; cf. statuettes, Statues, pp. 190-2, nos. (1939), p. 78, Fig. 2; H. Schafer and W. Andrae, Die Kunst
38.741-52, PI. XLI. des alten Orients (1942 ed.), PI. 437 centre; Steindorff, Opecit.,
13 A. Erman, Die Religion der A"gypter (1934), p. 147, Fig. 56. p. 142, no. 618, PI. XCIV; BM no. 22378, Roman terra-
14 Miroirs. pp. 24-5, no. 44.047, PI. XIII. cotta.
ICONOGRAPHY OF BES WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO CYPRIOT EVIDENCE 79
.... :
Fig. E.
Fig. 1.1 is after H. Schafer and W. Andrae, Die Kunst des allen Orients (1942 ed.), PI. 337.2.
Fig. 1.2 is after Ibid., PI. 337. I.
Fig. 1.3 is after P. Perdrizet, Les Terres Cuites de la Collection Fouquet (1921), PI. XII top left.
Fig. 1.4 is after T. M. Davis, Tomb of Iouiya and Touiyou (I907), p. 36.
80 LEVANT
a number of occasions in the New Kingdom,19later examples are few.20 Wings too are found in the
New Kingdom, but are also rare. 21
(c) "Bes" is dancing, sometimes playing a flute or beating a tambourine (Fig. 1.4). On other
occasions he holds an Egyptian sign or an uzat eye, snakes or knives. Only occasionally when dancing
does he wear a feather crown.
" Bes " in this guise is particularly popular in the New Kingdom and evidently it was at this time
that he became the god of music and dancing of which he remained patron.22
(d) "Bes" is shown holding one or two knives. Normally he is naked and wears a feather crown.
When dancing" Bes " sometimes carries a knife or knives (Fig. 1.4). He is first armed with a
knife in the New Kingdom, but already in the Middle Kingdom the hippopotamus gods, often called
Thoeris,23 are shown dancing with knives, and" Bes " apparently borrowed his knife from them.
From the Ptolemaic period he is represented raising a knife to his head with his right hand 24
and sometimes decapitating a snake with his left.25 In the Roman period this version is elaborated.
He often continues to raise a knife to his head in his right hand, but is now armed as a warrior
(Fig. 1.3).26
(e) "Bes" is associated with death.

On these occasions " Bes " is again often armed with a knife. In the vignette of a chapter of the
Book of the Dead ofDyn. xviii27 he is shown in profile with leonine features, mane-like hair and a tail,
advancing towards a man, a knife in his right hand. He is about to cut out the heart of the deceased.
In other versions of the Book of the Dead he is in more human form identifiable as " Bes " only by
his leonine mask and features. One example belongs to Dyn. xx (c. 1200-1085 B.C.)28and in a later
version of the Book of the Dead ofPsammeticus I (664-610 B.C.) he is guarding one of the gates of the
Elysian fields.29 On both these occasions he is armed with knives. "Bes" also regularly decorates
the furniture buried in tombs and he appears with knife and snakes on a mummy of the Roman
19 Examples of clothed " Bes " in Egypt: 20" Bes " figures wear plain sashed kilts on a chalice of the
(a) Wearing embroidered kilt, panel of throne of Satamen second half of the tenth century B.C., G. A. D. Tait, JEA
T. M. Davis, Tomb of Iouiya and Touiyou (1907), p. 40, XLIX (1963), pp. 124-5, no. xxxiii, PI. XXI.2. "Bes"
Fig. 3, PI. XXXIII; Ballod, p. 47, Figs. 34, 35. acting as a mirror handle wears a patterned dress with a sash
(b) Wearing a simpler pleated kilt, panel of a bed, Davis, and this is assigned to the Late Period (after 715 B.C.), BM
op. cit., facing p. 37; Ballod, p. 46, Fig. 30. no. 2571.
(c) Wears a plain version on other bed panels, Davis, Ope 21 Examples of" Bes" with wings of the NK, note 19a, i, j, k;
cit., facing p. 37; Ballod, p. 47, Figs. 31-3 (Fig. 1.4). on scarabs of the Late Period, A. Grenfell, PSBA XXIV
(d) Plain version worn on chair of Tiyi and Satamen, Davis, (1902) p. 24, Figs. iii, iv.
op. cit., PI. XXXVI. 22" Bes" dancing with musical instruments or knives, see
(e) Simple pleated kilt worn by figure on ivory casket of representations on furniture from the tomb of Iouiya and
Dyn. xviii, A. Grenfell, PSBA xxiv (1902) 36, Fig. liii. Touiyou note 19a, c; also, note 19j; dancing with thoeris
(f) Simple pleated kilt on a bed of Tut'Ankhamun, H. knot and uzat eye, G. A. D. Tait, JEA XLIX (1963), pp.
Carter and A. C. Mace, The Tomb of Tut-ankh-amen I 115-17, no. xvii, PI. XVII.3, Fig. 5, cf. ibid., pp. 124-5,
(1923), p. 193, PI. XLIX. no. xxxiii, PI. XXI.2 where three "Bes" are said to be
(g) Simple pleated kilt worn by " Bes " supports of a wooden dancing in honour of a fourth who is vanquishing his enemies
perfume holder of Dyn. xviii, Schafer and Andrae, op. like the pharaoh, F. W. von Bissing, Nachrichten von Akademie
cit., PI. 406 right. Wissenschaften, Gottingen (1941), p. 122; "Bes" dancing with
(h) Sashed kilt worn by statuette from Abydos, Ballod, p. 48, snakes in the NK,Krall, pp. 82-3, no. 24, Fig. 71; Ballod,
Fig. 36. pp. 52-3, Fig. 56. Other examples: 1-1. Werbrouk, Bulletin
(i) Sashed kilt worn on jar of Amenophis iii, ibid., p. 48, des Musies Royaux. Brussels XI (1939), pp. 78 fr., Fig. 7;
Fig. 37. ibid., Figs. 9, 10 shows" Bes" playing double pipes but
(j) Sashed kilt worn on jar of Dyn. xviii, W. Stevenson- not dancing. Erman, Ope cit., Fig. 56, dancing with knives
Smith, Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt (1965), p. 166, and breathing snake; ibid., Fig. 55, playing an instrument.
Fig. 57B. 23 Cf. note 6 above.
(k) Sashed kilt worn by" Bes " in Ramessid tomb paintings 24 Statues, nos. 78.709, 78,724, PI. XL; M. Werbrouk, Bulletin
at Deir el Medineh, Ibid., Figs. 57A, C, D. des Musies Ro.yaux. Brussels XI (1939), pp. 78 fr., Fig. 6.
(1) Sashed kilt worn by wooden flute player, M. Werbrouk, 25 E.g., relief, Perdrizet, Ope cit., p. 42.
Bulletin des Musies Royaux, Brussels XI (1939,) pp. 78 fr., 26 Ballod, pp. 67-8, Figs. 73, 84; Bonnet, Ope cit., pp. 101-9.
Figs. 9, 10. 27 Krall, p. 87, no. 31, Fig. 80; Ballod, p. 29, Fig. 4.
(m) Plain sashed kilt worn by faience figure, Burrell Collec- 28 Krall, p. 87, no. 32, Fig. 81.
tion, Glasgow, no. 13/145. 29 Ibid., p. 87, no. 33, Fig. 82.
period.30 In these cases he is acting, as often, as a general protector and is not necessarily simply a
guardian of the dead. In no case is there any reason to see him as a god of the Underworld.
(f) "Bes" is associated with Horus.
" Bes " is also armed with knives when he is protecting the Horus child, and examples date from
the Ptolemaic period.31 A Bes-head often appears above Horus or Hor-shed on the Horus-on-the-
Crocodile stelai which were talismanic.32 These, with their magical texts, were thought to have
powers to ward off scorpions and snakes. The earliest of these stelai belong to Dyn. xix, but the great
majority are of the Saite to Roman periods. It is not until Dyn. xxvi (664-525 B.C.) that a Bes-head
appears above the god. "Bes", as we have seen, also had power to ward off scorpions and snakes,
and another god with these powers was known as Shed,33 who was first worshipped in Egypt in Dyn.
xviii. In Dyn. xxvi the young Horus and Shed became assimilated and worshipped as Hor-Shed.
An important stele of Dyn. xxvi names the god as both Horus and Shed, and above the figure appears
a Bes-head.34 "Bes'" association with these stelai apparently dates from the appearance of Hor-
Shed.
" Bes' " close association with the Horus child is further shown by a terracotta figurine of Roman
date showing" Bes " exactly as Harpocrates,35 and also again dating from Dyn. xxvi, " Bes " some-
times suckles the Horus child.36
(g) This leads to " Bes' " role as an attendant at childbirth and guardian of mothers.
" Bes' " role suckling the Horus child dates from the seventh century B.C. Earlier he is shown in
reliefs together with the hippopotamus gods (Thoeris) as an attendant at the birth of the gods.37 Of
later date are Bes-shaped jars which are apparently connected with giving milk,38 and the Bes-
chambers at Saqqara dating from the Ptolemaic period which are connected with fertility.39
(h) "Bes" is associated with other gods.
Besides Horus, "Bes" can be associated with other gods. The Middle Kingdom text already
quoted speaks of the " Bes " gods together with the hippopotamus gods, and he is often shown, from
his first appearances in the Middle Kingdom, together with Theoris. From her he borrows his knife
and they appear together on many occasions, and perhaps it is as a result of this association that he
became connected with childbirth.
A bronze statuette, probably of Roman date, shows" Bes "in the guise ofBaal,40 while a statue of
Dyn. xxvi showing" Bes " in human form, identifiable only by his Bes head, is named as Amon.41
A similar representation is named Min.42 A relief showing a human" Bes " in a tomb of Dyn. xx is
accompanied by a quotation from the Book of the Dead naming the figure Spd.43
(i) "Bes" is pantheistic.
Besides being associated with individual gods, " Bes " may also be pantheistic. A hymn of Dyn.
xviii speaks of a " god of all " who has the outward form partly of" Bes" and partly of Ptah.44
Miiller claims that this text is copied from earlier sources, and suggests that the idea of a Pantheistic
30 Ausfiihrliches Verzeichniss der iigypt. Altertiimen. Berlin staatliche .ifgyptischeReligion (1924), Fig. 60; at Deir El Bahari, Ballod,
Museum (2nd ed. 1899), pp. 345-6, no. 14291. p. 42, Fig. 20. Cf. suckling other children, Krall, pp. 89-90,
31 E.g., Ballod, p. 30, Fig. 5. no. 60, Fig. 83; Ballod, p. 57, Fig. 63; Statues, p. 187, nos.
32 Textes, pp. 15 fr., nos. 9405-8, 9410, 9412, 9418-24; K. L. 38.728, 38,728 bis, PI. XL.
Seele, JNES VI (1947), pp. 43-52; L. Kakosy, Budapest 38 G. D. Hornblower, JEA XVI (1930), p. 16.
XXXIV-V (1970), pp. 7 fr. 39 J. E. Quibell, Excavations at Saqqara I 1905-6 (1907), pp. 12-
33 G. Loukianofr, BIE XIII (1930-1), pp. 67 fr.; xxi (1939), 14. "Bes" figuresused for mummified foetus, L. Lortet and
pp. 259 fr. He is now thought to be an aspect of Onuris C. Gaillard, La Faune Momifee II (1905), pp. 201 fr.
rather than of Mesopotamian origin, J. Cerny, Ancient 40 BM no. I 1530.
Egyptian Religion (1952), p. 72. 41 In Liverpool, mentioned Statues, p. 208. Cf. BM no. I 15°3
34 G. Loukianofr, BIE XIII (1930-1), p. 76, no. I. of Dyn. xvii-xix which wears an aegis of Amon on his head.
3S Perdrizet, Opecit., no. 150, PI. XL; c£, " Bes " with IIoms 42 Statues, p. 208, no. 38.836, PI. XLIII; cf. unnamed " Bes ",
curl of the Late Period, M. Werbrouk, Egyptian Religion I Steindorfr, Opecit., pp. 143-4, no. 625, PI. XCV.
(1933), p. 32, Fig. 4· 43 Krall, p. 87, no. 32, Fig. 81; Ballod, pp. 34-5.
36 G. D. Hornblower, JEA XVI (1930), pp. 10 ff., PI. IX.2. 44 W. M. Miiller, Egyptian Mythology (1913), pp. 221-4.
37 At Luxor, H. Bonnet, Bilderatlas der Religiongeschichte.

82 LEVANT
" Bes " evolves sometime during the New Kingdom. Representations of" Bes " in this guise are all of
late date, a number no earlier than the Ptolemaic period.45 The figure is full-sized with a Bes-mask
for his head and a beast often appearing either side. He is usually winged, and sometimes the whole
body is covered with eyes. Two statues of Pantheistic" Bes " are named Hamerti.46 Although in
neither case is the body covered with eyes, this name might help to explain them since the eyes of
Hamerti were said to signify the sun and moon.47
(j) "Bes" as a female is very rare in Egypt.48 There is the occasional example, one of Dyn. xvii
where the figure has breasts and wears a kilt and the body is covered with eyes,49and we have already
noted the motif of" Bes " suckling the Horus child which dates from the seventh century. No earlier
than the Ptolemaic period " Bes " appears together with a woman. He may support the niche in
which she sits,50be suckled by her, 51sit on her shoulders, 52or simply accompany her.53 In the East
Bes-like figures support a shrine, perhaps for a female goddess, on an eighth-century bronze bowl
from Nimrud,54 and maybe the idea spread. from here to Egypt.55 The female " Bes " has been
identified as the mother 56or wife57of the god, and in some cases this may be true. Evidently though
he is also associated with the mother goddess, and it must be a shrine for her rather than for any
relation of his that he supports.
(k) "Bes" is carried on the shoulders of a large female figure, who has again been identified as his
wife or mother. More plausible is Spiegelberg's suggestion 58 that the woman has just given birth to a
child, and here again" Bes " acts as a guardian of mothers. "Bes" on people's shoulders, supported
not only by a woman, but also, for example, by a flute player, 59or another" Bes ", appears compa-
ratively late. The majority of pieces are no earlier than the Ptolemaic period although the occasional
example is Saite. Sometimes he carries on his shoulders a woman,60 or even the Horus child.61
(1) "Bes" may also carry apes on his shoulders. Von Bissing62in his discussion of " Bes " on the
Karatepe reliefs, considered" Bes " in relation to apes. He quotes a button seal of the Middle
Kingdom which has a demonic head, perhaps a " Bes ", on one side and an ape on the other, and
suggests that" Bes " in association with apes dates back to that period. This is an isolated example,
and the head itself cannot be positively identified as " Bes ". The association of " Bes " with apes
really begins in the New Kingdom. Kees63 has shown how apes in Egypt were associated with the
cult· of the sun-god, and perhaps at this time " Bes " became linked with the sun-god 64as well as
with others. Sometimes the apes worship" Bes ", but on other occasions simply accompany him.65
45 Louvre: R. Lanzone, Dizzionario di Mitologia Egizia (1882), 56 Heuzey, Catalogue, pp. 68-70.
PI. LXXX'3-4, body covered with eyes. 57 Perdrizet, Opecit., pp. 44 ff.
Cairo: Statues, pp. 210-11, nos. 38.846, 38.848, 36.849, PI. 58 Note 52 above.
XLIII; V. S. Golenischev, Die Meiternich Stele (1877); 59 A. Piankoff, BIFAO XXXVII (1937-8), pp. 29-33, especi-
Textes, pp. 36-7, nos. 9428, 9429, PI. X. ally note 9. K. Parlasca, AM LXVIII (1953), pp. 131 ff.,
Copenhagen: F. W. von Bissing, AZ LXXV (1939), pp. in his discussion of a bronze figure from Samos of" Bes " on
130-3. the shoulders of a flute player, collects examples of" Bex "
Faience plaque: Ballod, pp. 58-9, Fig. 68. on people's shoulders. He argues that" Bes " in these cases
Baltimore: Steindorff, Opecit., p. 157, nos. 712-13, PI. CV. is not a protector as he is not enveloping his charges. How-
46 F. W. von Bissing,AZ LXXV (1939), pp. 130-3, Figs. I, 2. ever no alternative role is suggested. The fact that the main
47 Bonnet, Reallexicon, p. 270. function of " Bes" is apotropaic makes it hard to believe
48 Recently, E. Bielefield,Festschrift A. Rumpf (1952), pp. 18-21. that he is not to some extent a protector on these occasions
49 Note 19a above. as well.
50 Heuzey, Catalogue, PI. VIII.5. 60 Ibid., p. 130, note 30; S. Birch, Catalogue of the Collections of
51 Perdrizet, Opecit., no. 146, PI. XLIII; Heuzey, Catalogue, Egyptian Antiquities in Alnwick Castle (1880), p. 35, no. 316.
PI. VIII.4, found in Cyprus, but surely imported from Egypt. 61 H. R. Hall, JEA XV (1929), p. I, PI. I.
52 Ibid., PI. VIII.2, found in Cyprus but imported from Egypt; 62 F. W. von Bissing,JKF II (1952-3), pp. 88-94.
W. Spiegelberg, ASAE XXIX (1929), pp. 162-5, PI. la, b. 63 H. Kees, Gjjtterglaube im allen .ifgypten (1956), p. 21.
53 KBH, p. 256, Fig. 180, Egyptian import found in Etruria; 64 Roscher I, pp. 2880 ff. argues against the identification of
Perdrizet, Opecit., no. 144, PI. XLIII. " Bes" with the sun god, but there is no reason why they
54 R. D. Barnett, Iraq II (1935), pp. 201-4, Figs. 6, 7. could not have been associated.
55 Egyptian example from Naucratis, British Museum Guide to 65 A. Grenfell, PSBA XXIV (1902), pp. 21 ff., Fig. xxv;
Greek and Roman Life (1929), p. 39, Fig. 38. Ballad, p. 49, Fig. 41.
ICONOGRAPHY OF BES WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE 'TO CYPRIOT EVIDENCE 83
When nursing Harpocrates, the Horus child, apes may sit on " Bes ' " shoulders,66 but examples are
no earlier than Dyn. xxvi. One glazed figurine in the British Museum67 shows" Bes " nursing a
figure of himself with apes on his shoulders and another at his feet. This is said to be about goo B.C.,
and therefore must be, a forerunner of the Karatepe reliefs.
(m) "Bes" acts as a master of animals.
In Egypt" Bes " with animals such as gazelles, goats, or lions appears in the Saite period at the
earliest.68 Probably his role as master of animals originated in the East, whence it spread to Egypt.
Besides full-scale figures of " Bes ", Bes-heads alone were often used for amulets and the decora-
tion of toilet articles or scarabs.69 In whatever guise his function was mainly apotropaic, and he was
regularly associated with other gods and demi-gods. He was extremely popular in Egypt. No
attempt has been made to identify the other Egyptian dwarf gods, or to distinguish between the
Middle Kingdom " Bes ", who may be identified as 'Ehaujt rather than" Bes " himself, or the later
well-known dwarf gods. The purpose of this summary survey of " Bes " and the Bes-like gods in
Egypt is to provide a basis for a consideration of the god's appearance'and role in other areas. With-
out detailed study of Egyptian texts, of which the number of relevant ones is very small, it is im-
possible to survey Egyptian" Bes " and his companions in other than iconographical terms.
2. "BES" IN THE EAST
(a) First Appearances

While in Egypt the name" Bes ", although rare and late, is known to have been given to a dwarf
god, in the East none of the representations is named. A dwarf-like figure appears on Mesopotamian
plaques of the Isin-Larsa period at the time of the first Babylonian dynasty (c. 2017-1595 B.C.).70 He
shares with" Bes " the bandy legs and dwarfness, and likewise his head is in frontal view. Either he
is bearded with a furrowed face and spirals beginning at his nose and curling round his mouth, or,
with a smoother face and normally unbearded, he plays a lute. Scholars have identified these
figures, particularly in the former guise, with Humbaba because of the similarity between their
masks and the inscribed mask of Humbaba in the British Museum. Also the appearance of this
figure in Mesopotamian art corresponds with the establishment of Humbaba in Sumerian epic,
although he is never described as a dwarf. Somewhat similar bandy-legged figures of much later
date (second century B.C. to first century A.D.) are probably influenced by the Egyptian figures of
Ptah as a dwar~ but it is difficult to see any relation between" Bes " and the Mesopotamian manikins
at this early period. However" Bes " is already known in Egypt, and dwarfs played a considerable
role in Egyptian society. Barrelet proposes, perhaps correctly, that these Mesopotamian manikins
originally represented a race of dwarf-like Mricans, the furrows and spirals indicating the paint
worn on ceremonial occasions, who became identified with Humbaba. As the origin of" Bes " is
uncertain, it is not possible to conclude that the Mesopotamian and Egyptian dwarf-figures shared a
common origin, but it is interesting that dwarf super-human beings appear in the two regions at
approximately the same time.
A bone figurine found in the lowest Hittite layer at Ala~a Hiiyiik and assigned to the early second
millennium shows" Bes " in his Middle Kingdom Egyptian guise.71 He is naked and squatting, and
his hands, holding snakes, rest on his thighs. He is evidently wearing a lion-skin, as his hair is shown
66 Krall, pp. 89-90, no. 60, Fig. 83; Ballod, p. 57, Fig. 63. court, Tutankhamen (1963), p. 192, PI. XLI b.
67 BM no. 26267. 70 Recently discussed by M- T Barrelet, Figurines et Reliefs en
68 S. Birch, Ope cit., pp. 34-5, no. 314; Statues, p. 188, nos Terre Guile de la Mesopotamie Antique (1968), pp. 196-8, also
38.730, 38,73 I, PIs. XL, XLI; Quibell, Ope cit., p. 28, pp. 122 and 146, note 7 for later influence from" Bes " and
PI. 26; A. Piankoff BIFAO XXXVII (1937-8), pp. 29-33; Ptah figurines (illustrated, W. van Ingen, Figurines from
M. Werbrouk, Bulletin des Musees Royaux. Brussels XI (1939), Seleucia on the Tigris (1939), PI. 25.172-3). For the Humbaba
pp. 78 ff., Fig. 4; cf. BM no. 61208 " Bes " supported by mask see also note 100 below.
two winged sphinxes. 71 H. Ko~ay et aI., Ausgrabungen van Ala;a HOyok, report of 1936
69 E.g., Erman, Ope cit., p. 147, Fig. 56; C. Desroches-Noble- season (1944), p. 31, no. AL/88, PI. XLIV.
84 LEVANT
like a mane and the tail is visible between his legs. This bone figurine could have been imported
from Syria or Phoenica where contact was made with Egypt at this period,72 and Egypt must have
inspired the representation.
In the deposit of the Temple of Obelisks at Byblos, dated between I goo and 1600 B.C., were
found a number of faience figurines of Egyptian type, including a Bes-like figure which is similar to
the example from Drah abu'l Neggah.73 Like the latter it has round upstanding ears and its face,
with grotesque features, is enclosed by a lion's mane. Its hands rest near the waist and the legs are
missing. Scholars have disputed whether these faience figurines are of local manufacture or im-
ported from Egypt. Without a scientific analysis of the material or firm evidence for a faience
factory in Phoenicia in the Middle Bronze Age it is impossible to be sure.
(b) "Bes" in Phoenicia (homeland)

Here the term Phoenician is used with reference to representations of" Bes " found in Syria and
the Phoenician homeland from the late second millennium. Included in this section are representa-
tions of the god on scarabs and scaraboids and the many faience" Bes" amulets which have been found
over a wide area but whose origin is uncertain. It will be most convenient to treat the representations
in chronological order as far as possible.

A Bes-like figure appears on a very unusual cylinder seal, probably made somewhere in the Syrian
region in the sixteenth to fourteenth centuries B.C.74This is an early example of" Bes' " assimilation
with other non-human beings in the East. In some respects this " Bes " is similar to the faience
figurine from Ala~a Hiiyiik. He is naked and squatting with mane-like hair, but his head is bare and
the lion's tail is visible between his legs. His hands, which rest on his thighs, hold lotus flowers instead
of snakes. Von der Osten draws attention to the similarity between this " Bes " and the frontal
nude god with bandy legs portrayed on earlier Babylonian seals, although he does not doubt this
figure's identification as " Bes ".
A hoard of ivories discovered at Megidd075 were probably carved between about 1350 and 1150
B.C., and here " Bes " appears in a number of guises. This is the time of Dyn. xix to xx in Egypt
when " Bes " was very popular. Relations between Egypt and the Levant were close and the two
regions influenced each other. "Bes" was already known to the Syrians and Phoenicians, but
hitherto had only been portrayed in his Middle Kingdom Egyptian guise. It is in this same form
that he decorates an ivory wand from Megiddo (Fig. 2.3),76 but the other representations are more
varied.
In every other case at Megiddo " Bes " is clothed. Eastern representations of the god show him
clothed more often than naked, and in Egypt he may be clothed from the New Kingdom. In the
reign of Amenophis III (1417-1379 B.C.)77and again during the Ramesside period (1300-1085
B.C.)78he may wear a pleated or plainer kilt, sometimes with a long sash, or a kilt of embroidered
material (Fig. 1.4). At a later date, if clothed, he is normally in human guise and wears the ordinary
Egyptian kilt.79 The closest parallels for the embroidered kilts worn by the dancing" Bes " figures
on the back of Princess Satamen's throne are the embroidered kilts worn by Asiatics figured in Egyp-
tian tomb paintings.80 The simple pleated kilt worn by " Bes " both at Megiddo (Fig. 2. I) 81 and in
Egypt again does not appear to be Egyptian, but the Eastern parallels are all of later date. The
72 For other imports from Syria to the Hittite area at this time 77 Note 19 a-i above.
see M. Vieyra, Hittite Art (1955), p. 21, Fig. 9. 78 Note 19 k above. For a few later examples see note 20
73 M. Dunand, Fouilles de Byblos II (1958), p. 767, no. 15377, above. The date of note 19 I, m is uncertain.
PI. XCIV, cf. note 7 above. 79 E.g., above note 41 (named Amon), note 42 (Min and un-
74 H. von der Osten, Ancient Oriental Seals in the Collection of Mr. named), in versions of the Book of the Dead, notes 28, 29
E. T. Newell (OIP XXII, 1934), pp. 51, 93, no. 329. above.
7S G. Loud, The Megiddo Ivories (OIP LII, 1939); lvoires 80 J. B. Pritchard, RASOR CXXII (1951), pp. 36-41.
Pheniciens, pp. 7-8, 79 ff., nos. 284-685, PIs. XXIV-LXIII. 81 lvoires Pheniciens, no. 3 IS, PI. XXVII; sashed version, ibid.,
76 Ibid., pp. 83-4, no. 306, PI. XXXVII. nos. 313, 314, PI. XXVII (no. 316, worn by Thoeris).
1
2-
3
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2. I is after Ivoires Pheniciens, PI. XXXV. 3 15.

Fig. 2.2 is after Ibid., PI. XXXV.3I3a.
Fig. 2.3 is after Ibid., PI. XXXVII.306.
86 LEVANT
pleated kilt is worn by men portrayed on ivories from Nimrud,82 and sometimes a sash, although not
long enough to reach the ground, is also worn. Egyptian" Bes " figures in these garments decorate
furniture from the tomb of Iouiya and Touiyou 83which is earlier than the Megiddo ivories, but the
preference in the East for a clothed rather than a naked " Bes " and the Eastern parallels for the dress
itself, suggest that a clothed" Bes" is an Eastern idea. The same seems to be true for" Bes " ,
wings. Again a winged " Bes " is found in Egypt84 earlier than in the East where the Megiddo
representations (Fig. 2.1-2) are the first examples, but since winged beings are in general characteris-
tic of the East rather than of Egypt, and a winged " Bes " is very unusual in Egypt and more common
later in the East, it is not unreasonable to suppose that the East inspired the Egyptians to give" Bes "
wings.
Other features of the Megiddo " Bes " figures are certainly inspired by Egypt. He is shown in
company with Thoeris and often dancing. He breathes snakes from his mouth (Fig. 2.2)85 as he
may do in New Kingdom Egypt, and he wears the Egyptian feather crown. On one plaque he is
shown in the typical Egyptian pose, frontal and squatting with his hands on his thighs, but he has
four wings and wears the Eastern pleated kilt (Fig. 2.1).86 Also the snakes are in an unusual position
curling up on either side of the head. The lid of a vase found in a tomb at Quernah in Egypt shows
snakes in a similar position,87 but this is certainly no earlier than the Megiddo plaque. Snakes appear
in a similar position by gorgon heads in Archaic Greek art.88
The Megiddo ivories firmly establish the Egyptian dwarf-god " Bes " in Syro-Phoenician icono-
graphy and it is not surprising to find him well represented in the finds at Nimrud.89 Again there are
representations of him in his typical Egyptian guise, naked and squatting with his feather crown and
hands on the thighs, and the tail of the lion-skin visible between his legs.90 Other illustrations are of
greater interest.
A bronze statuette with a hollow in the back, perhaps for attaching to a wooden holder, shows
" Bes " with grotesque features and wearing a feather crown, Egyptian collar and a short kilt.91 In
Egypt" Bes " occasionally wears an Egyptian collar from Dyn. xviii,92while both pleated kilt and
collar are worn by men portrayed on Nimrud ivories.93 This bronze figurine shows" Bes " standing
upright rather than squatting, and his arms are bent over his chest. This is an early example of a pose
for" Bes" which is particularly popular in Cyprus, and probably originated in the Phoenician
homeland.
On an ivory plaque94 a demon with animal ears and spiral-ended locks, and dressed in a loin
cloth, is portrayed. He has a square-cut beard, but his features, although rather grotesque are more
human than animal. This figure has been identified as " Bes ", but more likely he is a mixture of
super-human beings. As further illustration of the confusion between gods and demons in Phoenician
82 E.g., NI, nos. 872, 8163, PIs. XLII-XLIII, LXVI. crowns. BM no. 132917.
83 Above note 19 a-d. 3. Bronze statuette with a hollow in the back, perhaps for
84 Note 21 above. fixing to a wooden holder. "Bes" is standing, his arms bent
85 Cf. Krall, pp. 82-3, no. 27, Fig. 78; Ballod, p. 72, Fig. 92; over his chest and a feather crown on his head. He has a
Erman, Ope cit., p. 147, Fig. 46; Ivoires Pheniciens, nos. 313, square-cut beard and wears a skirt and an Egyptian collar.
314, PI. XXVII; see also, C. decamps de Mertzenfield, D. Oates, Iraq XXI (1959), pp. 120-1, PI. XXXI; Nimrud
Syria XIX (1938), pp. 347 ff. II, pp. 435-6, no. 36 I.
86 Ivoires Pheniciens, no. 315, PI. XXVII. 4. Ivory plaque showing a figure with spiral-ended locks
87 Krall, p. 83, no. 22, Fig. 70; Ballod, p. 52, Fig. 52. and a square-cut beard. He wears a short loin cloth.
8B E.g., H. Payne, Necrocorinthia (1931), pp. 79 ff., Fig. 23D and Nimrud I, pp. 222-3, no. 183.
cf. Ibid., Fig. 26; Riccioni, Figs. 20, 36, 40; Clark Hopkins, 5. Bronze bowl showing" Bes " figures frontal and squatting
Berytus XIV (1961), pp. 26 ff. discusses these snakes, but with shaggy hair and beard, and wearing a short loin cloth.
derives them from the uraei which flanked sun disks. They are apparently supporting a canopy. R. D. Barnett,
89 I. Ivory plaque. Two" Bes" figures are shown, naked, Iraq II (1935), pp. 210 ff., Figs. 6-7.
frontal, and squatting, wearing feather crowns and with 90 Note 89, nos. I, 2.
square-cut beards. The tail of the lion-skin may be visible. 91 Note 89, no. 3.
Monkeys climb a tree between the two figures. Nimrud II, 92 E.g., casket, note Ige above.
p. 588, no. 560. 93 NI, no. 872, PIs. XLII-XLIII (kilt), no. 8163, PI. LXVI
2. Ivory plaque. Heads of" Bes " are visible broken off at (collar).
the mouth. They have grotesque features and wear feather 94 Note 89, no. 4.
art it is worth considering some other representations. On a metal bowl,9s also from Nimrud and
made in about the eighth century B.C., one figure is being dispatched by two others, who have
pinioned his arms and twist their legs round his, while they each plunge a sword into his head. The
same scene decorates the tondo of a second bowl from Nimrud,96 an ivory plaque from the same
site,97 and an orthostat from Tell Halaf.98 These scenes are identical in the way the" enemy" is
pinioned and attacked by swords plunged into his head. The theme has a long history in the East,
and has been explained as illustrating the slaying of Humbaba. Opitz99 first put forward this theory
when describing the scene on an Old Babylonian terracotta plaque. Here the enemy has already
fallen to the ground. He has a grotesque head framed by spiral-ended locks and a semi-animal body.
His face may have something in common with the inscribed mask of Humbaba in the British
Museum,lOO and also with that of some of the manikins on contemporary Mesopotamian plaques
already discussed. Porada 101pointed out that the enemy in Mesopotamian art became confused with
the generalized full-face Mesopotamian hero. Mitannian glyptic adopted the theme from Mesopo-
tamia, and later it appears in Neo-Assyrian art, in North Syria and even on a bowl from Hasanlu.102
Sometimes the enemy looks very human. On the Carchemish relief103 he is hardly distinguishable
from his attackers. If in the first place this scene illustrated the slaying of Humbaba, by the first
millennium the original meaning had been forgotten. The Nimrud "enemies" are all rather
grotesque and wear a short garment, a type of loin cloth. On the ivory piaque104 he has a youthful
unbearded head with a pair of spiral-ended locks falling onto each shoulder. The face itselfis close
in style to those of his attackers. The heads of the enemies on the bowls are more grotesque. On the
first one mentioned 105he has mane-like hair and a square-cut beard, and wears a feather crown and
lion-skin. Both feather crown and lion-skin are borrowed from " Bes ". In the tondo of the second
bowl106 he again has a square-cut beard, but the hair instead of being mane-like is parted in the
middle and falls onto each shoulder in a spiral-ended lock. If Humbaba and the" enemy" can
borrow from " Bes ", there is no reason why" Bes " should not borrow from the " enemy". On the
plaque referred to at the beginning of this discussion107 the spiral-ended locks and loin cloth, square-
cut beard and grotesque human features are all characteristic of the" enemy" as portrayed at
Nimrud. The animal ears remain a characteristic of" Bes ". This figure can best be described as a
demon or god, a mixture of Humbaba or an enemy and" Bes ".
The Karatepe reliefs108were carved about the end of the eighth century B.C., and Phoenician and
N eo-Hittite hieroglyphic inscriptions show that people of more than one nationality were involved.
" Bes " appears twice and both representations are in the same Phoenicianizing style. Both figures
are frontal and squatting and they are naked apart from the lion-skins whose tails are visible between
their legs. The heads are grotesque with square-cut beards and moustaches. The hair is parted and
shown in horizontal ridges which may also indicate wrinkles of the forehead. The better preserved
example also shows lines on the cheeks. The best reproductions of the slabs109 make it clear that both
" Bes " figures are wearing a crown. One of the figures is holding a snake in each hand away from
95 Note 89, no. 5. second millennium (cf. T. E. Madhloom, Chronology of

96 R. D. Barnett, Elements Orientaux dans la Religion Grecque Neo-Assyrian Art (1970), pp. 26 fr.).
Ancienne. Colloque de Strasbourg (1960), p. 147, PI. IV B. 103 C. L. Woolley et aI., Carchemish I (1914), PI. B15.
97Nimrud II, p. 538, no. 457. 104 Note 97 above.
98 D. Opitz, Tell HalafIII (1955), p. 98, no. A3,176, PI. 102. 105 Note 89, no. 5 above.
99 Idem, AfO v (1928-9), pp. 207-13. 106 Note 96 above.
100 Barnett, Colloque de Strasbourg (1960), PI. IIA. 107 Note 89, no. 4 above.
101 E. Porada, Corpus of Ancient Near Eastern Seals. Pierpont 108 For" Bes" see, F. W. von Bissing,JKF II (1952-3), pp.
Morgan Library (1948), pp. 82-3, 88-g4; Orthamnn, Ope cit., especially pp. 267-71. In
102 Recently, H. Kantor, JNES XXI (1962), pp. III ff.; general, H. Qambel in Die Ausgrabungen auf dem Karatepe I
W. Orthmann, Untersuchungen zur spiithethitischen Kunst (1950), pp. 56-9; P. Matthiae, Studi sui Rilievi di Karatepe
(1971), pp. 407-12. Hasanlu bowl: E. Porada, Expedition (1963); Orthmann, Opecit. Arguments for assigning all the
1.3 (1959),pp. 19-22; Idem, Ancient Iran (1965),pp. 98-102, reliefs to the ninth century and the inscriptions later are not
PIs. 23-4, Figs. 63-4. This was found in a late ninth-century convincing. D. Ussishkin, AS XIX (1969), pp. 121 ff.
context and the chariots confirm this date making it difficult 109 Qambel, Ope cit., Fig. 89 (with snakes); E. Akurgal, Art of
to agree with Porada's arguments for assigning it to the late the Hittites (1962), PI. 147 (with monkeys on shoulders).
88 LEVANT
his body, while monkeys are visible above his head. His ears are pointed and upright. The other
" Bes "places his hands on his thighs, while a monkey sits on each shoulder close to his large rounded
ears. The feather crown, lion-skin and dwarf-like appearance of these demons confirm their identi-
fication as " Bes ". "Bes" regularly holds snakes in both Egypt and the East, but seldom in out-
stretched hands as here. In Egypt he holds Egyptian signs110or even papyri111 in this manner, but
not snakes. Campana reliefs112provide interesting parallels, but these are of the Roman period.
" Bes' " association with apes can be traced back to the New Kingdom in Egypt (§ 1. I above) but not
until about goo B.C. do they begin to sit on his shoulders. Ivories discovered at Nimrud portray a
man with negroid features carrying an ape on his shoulders,113 while on ivory plaques114 apes are
seen with " Bes ", a scene of Egyptian inspiration.
As master of animals " Bes " is portrayed on a number of scarabs and scarboids of hard stones
such as chalcedony, sardonyx, and cornelian, and also of green jasper.llS These gems were made in
workshops somewhere in the Phoenician world, but at present their exact location is unknown. It
looks as though in the later seventh and sixth centuries B.C. somewhere in the East Mediterranean or
in Cyprus, workshops were producing scarabs of hard stones decorated in a Phoenician style, some-
times with a strong Egyptian element. In about the middle of the sixth century, a new series of
Phoenician gems begins, many of which were made of green jasper, but cornelian and other hard
stones may also be used. The majority of these scarabs and scaraboids belonging to the later series
have been found in West Phoenician centres, many at Tharros in Sardinia, but there is no proof that
they were made there. The role of" Bes " as master of animals, which is certainly a Phoenician inno-
vation, has recently been studied 116and there is little to add, except to call attention to versions
illustrated mainly on cornelian scarabs, none of which need be earlier than the early fifth century
(Fig. 3.1).117 Here" Bes " is shown closer to his Egyptian prototypes. He is naked and squatting
and normally wears a feather crown. In each of his outstretched arms he holds an animal upside
down by its tail, or snakes, or plants recalling the Karatepe relief. On other occasions118he holds the
animals close to himsel~ his arms around their necks, as though strangling them. Their heads are
averted. It is on scarabs of this same Phoenician group that" Bes " also acts like an Eastern hero
and attacks a lion or sometimes a griffin.119 A typical Egyptian" Bes " simply frontal and squatting
is also represented, while on other occasions he appears in guises probably directly inspired by
Egypt.120
The faience amulets of" Bes" (Fig. 3.2) are also of uncertain origin. These normally show" Bes"
110 E.g., Ballod, p. 48, Fig. 37. his taking this particular guise.
111 As on chalices, G. A. D. Tait, JEA XLIX (1963), p. 127, 117 E.g., BM no. 368; Krall, pp. 92-3, no. 78, Fig. 98; G.
nos. xl, xli, PI. XXIL3. "Bes" certainly has his arms out- Ebers, Annali dell'Inst. de Rome LV (1883), p. 94, PI. F2S;
stretched, althouh Tait argues that he is not actually holding J. Vercoutter, Objets Egyptiens et Egyptisants du Mobilier
the plants. Funeraire Carthaginois (1945), p. 239, nos. 653-5, PI. XVIII;
112 H. von Rohden and Winnefield, Architektonische Tomische A. de Ridder, Collection de Clerq VI1.2 (1911), nos. 2768,
Tonreliefs der Kaiserzeit. Antiken Terrakotten IV (1911), pp. 2769, 2779, PI. XVIII; E. Brandt, Antike Gemmen in deutschen
164-5, Figs. 307, 315-18, PI. XLIV. For Campana reliefs Sammlungen 1.1 Munich (1968), p. 49, no. 216, PI. 24.
in general, A. H. Borbein, Campanareliejs (1968). 118 Ebers, Opecit., pp. 94-5, PI. F28; Perrot-Chipiez III, p.
113 Nimrud II, p. 528, no. 443, PI. VII. 423, Fig. 296; F. Imhoof-Blumer and O. Teller, Tier und
114 Note 89, nos. I, 2 above. Pjlanzenbilder auf Munzen und Gemmen (1889), p. 91, PI.
I1S Archaic Gems, pp. 19 ff.; J. Boardman, Greek Gems and Finger XV·3; C. N.Johns, QDAPII (1934), pp. 44-5, PI. XIV.935.
Rings (1970), pp. 153-4. 119 AG I,.PI. VI1.19, 20, 22, 24; de Ridder, Opecit., nos. 2776-8,
116 J. Boardman, Budapest XXXII-XXXIII (1969), pp. 8-12; 2784, PIs. XVIII, XIX; Walters, BMC Gems, p. 34, nos.
W. Culican, AJBA 1.1 (1968), pp. 93 ff. suggests that the 277-9, PI. V; M-L Vollenweider, Catalogue raisonne des
healing function of" Bes" is partly responsible for his adopt- Sceaux Cylindres et Intailles Musee de Geneve (1967), p. 123, no.
ing the role of master of animals. The evidence for a connec- 157, PI. 64; Brandt, Opecit., p. 49, no. 217, PI. 24; E.
tion between "Bes" and Eshmun is tenuous, and mostly Zwierlein-Diehl, Antike Gemmen in deutschen Sammlungen II
late, so that there is little to support this theory. On the Berlin (1969), p. 65, no. 135, PI. 32.
other hand, " Bes ,,, power to ward off evils like snakes and 120 Frontal and squatting: AG I, PI. XV.68 (wearing a skirt);
scorpions is established from the beginning, and it is more Brandt, Ope cit., p. 49, nos. 214, 215, PI. 24 (winged).
likely that this, together with confusion between gods and Of Egyptian inspiration: Vercoutter, Opecit., p. 212, no. 544,
heroes that took place in Phoenicia and Cyprus, accounts for PI. XV, p. 247, no. 687, PI. XIX.
::
.. ::: .:.~.
\\\~l(\·
~~;J~\\\t
"·:·~~·IB~·'.':'...
';~:.~i/\.\·~.j:
i~:· //' -:
':~~~r!:j~W
~:..
)
-. ... .
l:·· ~::::-:::.:..
'\"
.. . .
• e •• -· ••• ~••.•..••.••.••
••••
,..L._..,.
.....
e" e. 2
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.1 is after J. Vercoutter, Objets Egyptiens et Egyptisants du Mobilier Funeraire Carthaginois (1945), PI.
XVIII.654·
Fig. 3.2 is after Ibid., PI. XXVI.893.
Fig. 3.3 is from a sketch after D. J. Wiseman, Cylinder Seals of Western Asia (1959), PI. 103.
I am indebted to Dr. T. W. Potter for these drawings.
90 LEVANT
at this most typical, frontal and squatting with a feather crown on his head and the tail of the lion-
skin visible between his legs. His hands rest on his thighs, and he is bearded with grotesque features.
They have been found in Cyprus,121 in Phoenician centres in the West,122in Greece,123 and Etruria.124
Egyptian workshops manufactured such amulets for many centuries, and some scholars have con-
sidered all those found abroad to be imports from Egypt. In the sixth century a faience factory was
established at N aucratis, 125a Greek trading centre, and no doubt some amulets were exported from
here to Phoenician centres in the West and to Etruria. Von Bissing126 argued for a faience factory in
Rhodes established in the seventh century and specializing in fine vases with engraved designs. Pro-
duction seems to have declined in the sixth century. The Cypriots imported some faience from
Rhodes, but the lack of any evidence for the manufacture of amulets by the Rhodian factory, together
with Egyptian interest in Cyprus and her contact with N aucratis suggest that the Cypriot amulets
were imported from Egypt.128 The amulets from the West Phoenician centres may likewise all be
Egyptian imports, although more recently it has been argued that amulets were manufactured in
Carthage, whence they reached Sardinia, Spain, Ibiza, Sicily, Malta, and the rest of the West
Phoenician area.129
Finally some Phoenician terracottas add to our knowledge of " Bes" in this region. Three
figurines come from Amrit, ancient Marathus, on the Phoenician coast.130 The first was perhaps
imported from Egypt. It was made of white faience in a two-piece mould, and" Bes " is frontal and
squatting, his hands resting on his thighs. His beard is worked in spirals and the head and paws of
the lion-skin are visible on his chest and the tail between his legs. He has large round ears and gro-
tesque features and supports a kind of square capital. Round his loins is a cord. This is the modifica-
tion of the typical guise of " Bes " known in Egypt from the Saite period (§ 1a above). A similar
faience figure comes from Assur (Fig. 1.1).131
The other two figurines made of terracotta are probably of local manufacture. One again shows
" Bes" at his most typical, frontal and squatting with his hands on his thighs. He again has
grotesque features, large round ears and supports a kind of square capital. He has a square-cut
beard, but no attempt is made to show the details. His cheeks are very lined. This figure is modelled
after Egyptian prototypes and an ivory mirror handle from Thebes is particularly close,132although
the Marathus figure has no tail between his legs. The third figurine is of " Bes" again with gro-
tesque face and moustache, and square-cut beard. Round his head he wears a kind of veil and there
are marks suggesting that he originally wore a feather crown. His knees are slightly bent. He holds
out a shield in his left hand but his right arm, also bent forward, is partly missing. This is evidently a
version of" Bes " the warrior (Fig. 1.3), and is perhaps of Roman date.
121Catalogue no. 4. Andre Emmerich Gallery, Art of AnCient Italy (1970), pp.
122lbiza: E. Vives Escudero, Necropoli di Ibiza (1917), pp. 17-18, u. Mrs. A. Brown kindly drew my attention to this.)
94 if., PI. XXXVI. Sardinia: G. Pesce, Sardegna Punica For true" Bes" cf. Str0m, Opecit., p. 149, 194, Fig. 94 and
(1960), p. 119, Fig. 135; S. Moscati, Sardegna (1968), pp. Emmerich, Opecit., pp. 17-18.
169-70. Also, Vercoutter, Ope cit., passim; P. Cintas, 125W. M. F. Petrie, Naucratis I (1888), pp. 36 if.
Amulettes Puniques (1946), pp. 82-3, Fig. 106. 126F. W. von Bissing, Zeit und Herkunft der in Cerveteri gefunden
123Chr. Blinkenberg, Lindos I (1931), pp. 333 if.; Clara Rhodos Gefasse aus agyptischerFayence und glasierten Ton (1941).
VI-VII (1932-3), pp. 306 if., Fig. 43; T. J. Dunbabin, 127As, SeE IV.2, Fig. 38.35-6; V. Karageorghis and E. J.
PerachoraII (1962)pp. 476,512. "Bes" head from Ephesus: Peltenburg, Archaeology XXIII (1970), pp. 217-20.
D. G. Hogarth, Exacavations at Ephesus (1908), p. 203, PI. 128For Cyprus and Egypt see recently, J. Leclant in IIpaKTLKa
XIV. I. TOV 1TPWTOV 8L€fJVOVS KV1TPOAOYLKOV €VV€8pLOV 1969,Vol. A (1972),
124F. W. von Bissing in SE III-XIV (1929-40), passim; G. pp.81-4; A. Caubet and E. Puytison Lagarce, RDAC
Camporeale, I Commerci di Vetulonia (1970), p. 99, Pis. (1972), pp. 113 if.
XXIV.I-2; J. B. Ward-Perkins et aI., NSc (1970), pp. 129Moscati, Opecit., pp. 169-70.
266-7, no. 97, Fig. 52. U. 8tr0m, Origin and Early Develop- 130A. de Longperier, Musee Napoleon III (1871), PI. XIX;
ment of the Etruscan Orientalising Style (1971), pp. 71-2, nos. Perrot-Chipiez III, p. 65, Fig. 2I; Heuzey, Catalogue, pp.
844-6, Figs. 57-9, describes these amulets set in silver as 65-7, nos. 197, 198, 199, PI. VIlLI.
" Bes" but the illustrations, G. Pinza, Materiali per la 131Schafer and Andrae, Ope cit., PI. 437 centre (note 18
Etnologia Antica Toscano-Laziale I (1915), PI. 2h show that above).
they are of Ptah as a dwarf. (For another example, see 132Ibid., PI. 437 left and right.
Figurines found at Kharayeb are Hellenistic.133 Of those included in the inventory, numbers 32
and 33 are surely representations of Ptah as a dwarf (see § 3 below) rather than of" Bes". Other
figurines show" Bes " naked and squatting with his arms bent across his chest. Number 34 holds a
serpent in each hand but the others have nothing. On their heads are two goats' horns which may
have also formed a kind of capital. These goats' horns may be borrowed from Pan, but this feature
and the general posture of the figures will be discussed with reference to Cyprus.
(c) "Bes" in West PhoenicianCentres

For true West Phoenician representations of " Bes" objects certainly made in the area must
provide the evidence. These are generally no earlier than at least the fourth century B.C.
" Bes " was particularly popular in Sardinia. In the southern region of the island a number of
sandstone statues said to represent the god have been found.134 One comes from Bithia where it
was discovered in a tripartite temple, close to the main altar. The temple was dedicated to an un-
known god, but a Neo-Punic inscription of the second or third century A.D. records its dedication.
Reasons have been put forward for dating the first building phases of the temple in the fourth century
B.C., but there is really no stratigraphy or datable material associated with its building. A similar
" Bes "statue was found at Cagliari, but not in a datable context, and two more come from Marcala-
gonis. The last two were found in a sanctuary but again datable material was lacking, apart from
some fragments of Roman tiles. Two more statues found in the Roman baths at Fondongianus can
scarcely be identified as " Bes ".135 Leaving these aside, the other four have some elements in com-
mon. All represent a grotesque dwarf-like figure, with squat but not bandy legs, and naked apart
from a belt around his loins. He has a beard and moustache. The beards of the Marcalagonis
statues are worked in spiral curls, while that of the Bithia statue is apparently square-cut, although
the surface is too worn to see clearly. The Bithia statue wears a rectangular headdress, perhaps
originally a feather crown. The two Marcalagonis statues have lost both their forearms but they
were apparently bent forward at their chests and, like the Bithia statue, they each hold a snake in the
left hand. The Bithia " Bes " appears to raise his right hand. The belt at the loins and spiral-worked
beard are characteristic of" Bes " in Egypt from the Saite period (Fig. I. I), but of grotesque repre-
sentations of the god holding snakes like the Sardinian statues there are no Egyptian examples earlier
than the Ptolemaic period.136 At the same time Egyptian " Bes " began on occasion to brandish a
knife in his right hand raised to the forehead (Fig. 1.3) and this may be the attitude of the Bithia
statue. These Sardinian figures probably date from the third century B.C. and are evidently based on
Egyptian prototypes. From Motya in Sicily a head from the handle of a krater shows a mask again
with a square-cut beard, moustache, and fleshy cheeks, but lacking are characteristic" Bes " features
like the feather crown and lion-skin.137 It compares closely with the satyr head at the waist of a
Cypriot statue (PI. XVIII) and thus is perhaps to be identified as Silenus rather than " Bes ".
Of Phoenician rather than Egyptian inspiration is a terracotta plaque found at Tharros and now
133 M. Chehab, BMBeyr X (1951-2), especially pp. 20, 84, association of " Bes" with Eshmun as Culican, AJBA I. I
PIs. VI-VII. (1968), p. 94. The figure on a bone plaque, F. Barreca et al.,
134 Psece, Sardegna Punica, pp. 65-6, 77; Bithia statue illustrated, Monte Sirai II (1965), pp. 61-2; III (1966), pp. 118-19,
ibid., Fig. 64 and cf. also, idem, Le Statuette Puniche di Bithia has also been indentified as " Bes ", but again, apart from
(1965), pp. 31-5. Marcalagonis statues, idem, Sardegna the grotesque features and, in this case, the position of the
Punica, Figs. 65, 66. For the find spots, S. M. Cecchini, arms, there is little evidence for the identification. The
Ritrovamenti Fenici e Punici in Sardegna (1969) listed by site. spiral hair recalls the Nimrod plaque, note 89, no. 4 above,
Cf. also, W. Culican, AJBA 1.1 (1968), p. 93. and was seen to be characteristic of demons in general and
135 A. Taramelli, NSc (1903), pp. 482 fr., Figs. 9, 10. They are not necessarily of " Bes ". For Sardinian demons, cf. the
grotesque and dwarf-like as " Bes" but the one surviving head carved on the roof of a tomb, Monte Sirai I (1964), pp.
head recalls the Punic idols, although the belt at the loins is 94-6.
like that worn by "Bes". Probably these figures are a 136 When cf. " Bes " at Saqqara, note 39 above.
mixture of demon and dwarf, partly influenced by " Bes ", 137 ILN Sept. 21 1963, p. 425, Fig. I. I am grateful to Dr. B. J.
and they can scarcely be used as further evidence for the Isserlin for information about this.
92 LEVANT
in the museum at Cagliari.138 This" Bes " is bare-headed with a grotesque face and square-cut beard
and moustache. His legs are slightly bent and both arms are bent across his chest with the fists
closed. More will be said about this posture when discussing Cypriot" Bes " ; but it may be seen as a
Phoenician feature. In Phoenicia139 and also in Cyprus (Catalogue No. 13, PI. XVI D) a bare-
headed" Bes " is found and the loin cloth is of Eastern origin. This" Bes " plaque was perhaps
made in the fifth century B.C.
A terracotta mould for a " Bes " figure found in the potters' quarter at Dermech near Carthage
was in use in the first half of the second century B.C., and perhaps earlier.140 Like the" Bes " plaque
from Tharros, the Carthaginian mould draws on Phoenician rather than Egyptian sources. "Bes"
is not very grotesque and has human proportions. He is naked apart from the feather crown. In the
Phoenician manner his arms are bent across his chest and in each hand he holds a snake which
climbs up over his shoulders by his head. These curling snakes have something in common with
the snakes by the heads of the winged" Bes " on a plaque from Megiddo (Fig. 2.1),141 and something
similar will be found in Cyprus.
The obverse and sometimes also the reverse types of coins of Ibiza show " Bes " in a form based
on Egyptian prototypes.142 These were first minted in about the third century B.C., and continued
into the Roman Imperial period. "Bes" brandishes a knife held close to his head in his right hand
while he decapitates a snake with his left. The same prototypes probably inspired these types as
inspired the sculptor of the Bithia statue.
(d) "Bes" in Persia

" Bes " appears on a number of cylinder seals whose workshops cannot be located for certain.
However, as they are decorated in the Achaemenid court style they are included in this section.
" Bes " is borrowed from Phoenicia and his role in Achaemenid art is similar to that in the East.
He often wears a pleated kilt and is shown as. master of animals. The idea of " Bes " in this role is
Phoenician, but it is adapted to Achaemenid iconography. "Bes" is normally portrayed like the
king, grasping beasts by their necks or tails in his outstretched hands. He himself is frontal, with
bandy legs, feather crown and sometimes a pleated kilt.143 On other occasions he is simply a by-
stander, and his hands rest on his thighs.144 One cylinder seal shows him grasping the an~mals close
to himself by their necks, and another shouldering a horned lion. Both these scenes are borrowed
directly from Phoenicia.145 On another seal (Fig. 3.3),146 holding a lotus in each hand, he supports a
sun disk, a motif perhaps inspired by " Bes ' " role supporting a shrine for a goddess which, as we have
seen, originated in the East whence it spread to Egypt (§ l.j above).
The Bes-sphinx is probably of Achaemenid origin.147 Egyptian representations are mainly of the
Ptolemaic and Roman periods, although a bronze figurine is said to be Saite.148 In Persia sphinxes
played a particularly important role. They are often royal with crowns on their heads and regularly
act as guardians. "Bes '" function as guardian and protector no doubt led to his association with
138 D. Harden, The Phoenicians (1971 ed.), p. 82, Fig. 18. Ashmolean I (1969), pp. 120-1, no. 675, PI. 44.
139 From Marathus, Longperier, Ope cit., PI. XIX right; Heu- 145 D. J. Wiseman, Cylinder Seals of Western Asia (1959), p. 106
zey, Catalogue p. 67, no. 199. and cf. note 1I8 above; H. Carnegie, Southesk Collection II
140 Harden, Ope cit., p. 82, Fig. 17. (1908), p. 108, no. 34, PI. 8 and cf. note 1I6 above.
141 See notes 87, 88 above. 146 Wiseman, op. cit., p. 103.
142 Vives y Escudero, Ope cit., pp. xlii-v, PIs. CV-CVI. 147 J. Boardman, Iraq VIII (1970), pp. 35-6; to the references
143 C. Delaporte, Catalogue des Cylindres Orientaux. Bibliotheque add, L. Legrain, Ur Excavations X. Seal Cylinders ( I 95 I ),
National (1910), p. 285, no. 502, PI. XXXIII; K. Galling, p. 50, no. 757, PI. 40.
ZDPV LXIV (1941), pp. 121 £f., no. 86; E. F. Schmidt, 148 Saitic: Riccioni, pp. 135-6, Fig. 10. Other examples: BM
Persepolis II (1957), pp. 38-9, no. 64; A. Moortgat, Vordera- nos. I1925, 13324. In Greek art there is a gorgon sphinx:
siatisches Rollsiegel (1966 ed.), pp. 78, 153, no. 764, PI. 89; Riccioni, Fig. 14; E. Marangou, Lakonische Elfenbeine (1969),
B. Brentjes, Die iranische Welt (1967), PI. 53. pp. 39 ff, no. 17 and a gorgon siren: Riccioni, Fig. 15;
144 B. Buchanan, Catalogue of Ancient Near Eastern Seals in the Payne, Necrocorinthia (1931) p. 52, no. 440, Fig. 12.
sphinxes. Later, from about the fourth century B.C.,a Bes-sphinx occasionally decorated Phoenician
scarabs.149
In the Western part of the Persian Empire at Gjolbaschi Trysa in Lycia, a heroon was built and
the walls decorated with sculptures in reliefin about 400 B.C.1SO The sculptors were Greek employed
by Persian or Lycian masters and the subjects include purely Greek themes and other scenes where
there is a mixture of Oriental and Greek elements. Above the doorway are eight" Bes " figures.
Of these, one is naked, frontal and squatting, his hands on his thighs. The other" Bes " are either
seated and playing pipes or a harp or dancing as the calathos dancers1S1portrayed on the doorposts.
All the" Bes" figures wear this calathos. They are behaving like Greek satyrs, dancing Greek
dances and playing pipes and harps seated in a relaxed manner.lS2 Egyptian" Bes " figures playing
music in this relaxed way do not appear until much later, when they are portrayed in reliefs decorat-
ing Nubian temples of Roman date.1S3
Porada has drawn attention to another satyr-like " Bes " in Achaemenid art.154 Ibexes which
formed the handles of vesselsrest their hind legs on a mask of" Bes "who has borrowed his beard and
horses' ears from Silenus. A palmette headpiece replaces the feather crown, and this is found also on
Achaemenid seal impressions from Dr and is foreshadowed by the headdress of" Bes " on plaques
from Megiddo.1ss This mask is of the first half of the fourth century B.C. and thus slightly later than
the Gjolbaschi Trysa reliefs.
3. "BES" IN CYPRUS(all numbers in this section refer to the catalogue on pp. 101 ff.)
" Bes " makes his first appearance in Cyprus in the Late Bronze Age. On a faience bowl in the
Cyprus Museum, No. I, " Bes " accompanies two figures, one of whom is dancing. Faience bowls of
Late Bronze Age date found in Cyprus may be of Egyptian or Palestinian origin, but some could
have been made locally.ls6 Astrom includes this example among the local products because of its
" native charm", but Peltenburg prefers to leave the question open. The" Bes " figure is rather
summary, but evidently he is in his most typical guise. He is frontal and has bandy legs with the tail
of the lion-skin just visible between them. He wears a feather crown and his hands rest at his waist
rather than on his thighs. He is apparently acting as patron of music and dancing as he did in
Egypt from the New Kingdom.
Other representations of" Bes " decorate finger rings of Late Cypriot II date (Nos. 2 and 3).157
Late Cypriot II is contemporary with late Dyn. xviii and Dyn. xix in Egypt. Egyptian finger rings
influenced both the shape and decoration of Late Bronze Age Cypriot finger rings, although some
influence may have arrived via the Syria-Palestine coast rather than direct from Egypt itself. On
one ring (No.2) " Bes " is in profile walking to the right. He wears a feather crown but is otherwise
naked. A similar" Bes " appears on an Egyptian ring,158and the lack of either kilt or wings, popular
in the Near East for" Bes " at this date, suggest that this" Bes " is directly inspired by Egypt. On
the second ring found at Enkomi (No.3) the" Bes "is very summary. He is in his most typical guise
and is flanked by snakes.
In Iron Age Cyprus other demons and gods of foreign origin besides " Bes" are found. The
Cypriots are inclined to confuse the various types, and thus "Bes" sometimes borrows features
150 H. Benndorf and G. Niemann, Das Heroon von Gjolbaschi Plzlniciens, nos. 3I3- I4, PI. XXVII.
Trysa (1889); F. Eichler, Die Reliefs des Heroon von Gjolbaschi 156 SCE IV.ld, pp. 591-2; E. J. Peltenburg, npaKT£Ka 'TOV
Trysa (1950). 'lTpWTOV 8£€8vovs KV'lTPOAOY£KOV 1969, Vol. A
1:vv€8p£oll
151 Calathos dancers appear in Greek art in the later fifth cen- (1972), pp. 130-1, PI. XXIII.I. For the origin of faience
tury, L. Sechan, La Danse Grecque Antique (1926), pp. 134 fr.; vessels in Cyprus see also, Caubet and Puytison Lagarce,
F. Weege, Der Tanze in der Antike (1926), pp. 44 fr. RDAC (1972), pp. 113 fr.
152 Cf. F. Brommer, Satyroi (1937). 157 For these rings see, J. Boardman, BSA LXV (1970), pp.
153 E.g., Krall, no. 9, 14, Figs. 67, 93 at Dakkeh and Wadi es- 5 fr.
Sofra. 158 H. Schafer, Goldschmeidarbeiten. Konigliche Musten zu Berlin
154 E. Porada, Ancient Iran (1965), p. 168, Fig. 86. (1910), p. 53, no. 82, Pl. 13.
155 Legrain, op. cit., nos. 727-8, PI. 39; at Megiddo, Ivoirts
94 LEVANT
characteristic of others. It will be convenient at this point briefly to identify some of these other
demons and gods.
Almost as popular as " Bes " was the Egyptian god Ptah as a dwar~ 159and it may be that the
images of him found in Cyprus and Phoenicia represent the Pataeki mentioned by Herodotus.16o
This d,varf god is a squatting pygmy, but unlike" Bes " is completely human. His arms are often
bent across his chest and his fists are clenched or his hands rest on his thighs. Terracotta figures of
Ptah as a dwarf as well as faience amulets have been found in Cyprus and in Phoenician centres in
the west. The Cypriot terracottas found in a datable context belong to the sixth and fifth centuries
B.C. (PIs. XV-XVI).
A grinning demon, perhaps the Babylonian Humbaba, is represented by a terracotta from a late
sixth-century tomb at Amathus161 and a faience amulet from the same site found in a late seventh-
century context.162 The faces both have a grinning mouth, flat nose, and horns. The grin is charac-
teristic ofHumbaba, but the Babylonian demon has a grotesque human, not animal, head. Cintas163
compares these Amathus pieces with Punic ivory masks and in searching for their identification pro-
poses as possible candidates not only Humbaba but also the Assyrian demon Pazuzu 164and the
Mesopotamian god Shakkan-Sumuqan. These last two, Pazuzu with his leonine appearance and
Shakkan-Sumuqan shown as a fawn, were both horned and this important feature will be considered
in more detail below. Perhaps influenced by Humbaba are the terracotta masks found in Cyprus,165
West Phoenician centres,166 and in Greece.167 We have already noticed the confusion between
" Bes " and Humbaba at Nimrud.
The Cypriots were familiar with Greek demons, particularly gorgons and satyrs. "Bes", gorgons,
and satyrs are all independent creations, and although they may borrow attributes from one another,
it is not true to say that one is derived from another. The confusions and borrowings generally
happen at a stage after they are established, and to some extent may be the result of their common
apotropaic function.168
The faience amulets, NO.4, have already received attention, and the representation of" Bes " on
the silver girdle from Marion (No.5) showing him as a master of animals belongs with the Phoenician
scarabs, some of which may have been made in Cyprus.
" Bes " statuettes of limestone and terracotta were also made by the Cypriots. It is difficult to
group them either by type or chronologically, and it seems best to consider them individually,
drawing attention to points of similarity where relevant.
A terracotta head, now in the Louvre (No.6, PIs. XV C, D) was found at Paleo-Kastro in Southern
Cyprus, about eight miles N.E. of the Phoenician town of Kition. In the same place was found a
159 Terracottas from Cyprus: 162 SCE II, PI. CLIX.25, Amathus Tomb 2.9.
a. In Denmark, N. Beitenstein, Catalogue of Terracottas in the 163 P. Cintas, Manuel d'Archeologie Punique (1970), pp. 454-60.
Danish National Museum (1941), no. 44, PI. 5. He assigns these masks to Tanit I which he dates to the
b. From Amathus Tomb 9, SCE II, PIs. XVII. 10, eLVIII. I. eighth century (Ibid., pp. 382-9°), but this high chronology
c. From Amathus Tomb 88, Excavations, p. 114, Fig. 165.4; in questionable. For another view see, B. H. Warmington,
Walters, BMC Terracottas, p. 27, no. AI52 (PI. XV A). Carthage (1969 ed.), pp. 29-30.
d. From Larnaca, BM 66-1-1 230. 164 Recently, P. R. S. Moorey, Iraq XXVII (1965), pp. 33-41.
e. In Louvre, N3310, Perrot-Chipiez III, p. 78, Fig. 27 165 KBH, PI. CXCVIII.4; Arch. Rep for 1970-1, p. 74, Fig. 12.
(PI. 5, left); A. Caubet, Revue du Louvre XIX (1969), p. 12, 166 P. Cintas, Amuleltes Puniques (1946), pp. 37 ff., groups 1-3;
note 5, Fig. 7. R. D. Barnett, Colloque de Strasbourg (1960), PI. lIB;
East Greek terra cotta figures seem to be a Greek version of Archaeologia Viva 1.2 (1968-9), p. 40, PI. V.
Ptah as a dwarf, Blinkenberg, op. cit., pp. 559 ff.; Higgins, 167 Spartan, Barnett, op. cit., PI. II C; Samos, K. Vierneisel,
BMC Terracottas pp. 56 ff.; Caubet, Revue du Louvre XIX AM LXXVI (1961), pp. 25 ff., Fig. 22; Thera, PAE (1965),
(1969), pp. 7-12. Example from Cyprus, A. P. di Cesnola, PI. 227a; Cf. Riccioni, Fig. 30 from Gortyn.
Salaminia (1884), p. 243, Fig. 28. For figurines of Ptah as a 168 Good discussions, AG III, pp. 110 ff.; Archaic Gems, pp.
dwarf from West Phoenician centres cf. PI. 2, and note also 37 ff. Recent attempt to equate " Bes " and SHens,F. J esi,
finds from Kharayeb, M. Chehab, BA1Beyr X (1951-2), Aegyptus XLII (1962), pp. 257-75; cr. also, B. H. Stricker,
nos. 32, 33. Oudheidkundige Mededelingen uit het Rijksmuseum van Oudheiden
160 Herodotus IlL37. te Leiden XXXVII (1956), pp. 35-48.
161 Excavations, Fig. 164.14.
pyramidal-shaped sockle bearing a Phoenician inscription naming the god Reshef. The inscrip-
tion169is one of the earliest Phoenician inscriptions from Cyprus and has been assigned to the seventh
century B.C. It is unlikely that our head was attached to the sockle, which makes it more difficult to
date. The inscription shows that there was in the area a sanctuary dedicated to a Phoenician god in
the seventh century B.C., and stylistically our head could belong to this period. The face is very lined
with a square-cut beard and wide open eyes, like the eyes of terracotta sculptures of the Proto-
Cypriot style.170 "Bes" wears no crown, but the head is well covered by the shaggy hair. This
detailed lining of the face again recalls Humbaba and the clay masks already referred to. "Bes"
has a flattened animal nose and animal ears in keeping with his leonine mask.
The linear treatment of the mane and beard can be compared with a second terracotta figurine in
the Louvre (No.7, PI. XVI B). Its provenance is unrecorded, but it is said to come from Cyprus.
The treatment of the eyes and feathered eyebrows again recall Proto-Cypriot terracottas. His
tongue is hanging out and he has a moustache as well as a beard. The nose is broken away, but the
traces that remain show that it was originally broad and flat. The figure was made in a one piece
mould and has a flat back. Remarkably similar to this head is the head of a limestone statuette in
New York,171and we may also compare the lamp handle in the form of" Bes ", No.8. These last
two figures have smaller eyes and the eyebrows are not feathered, but the mane-like hair again
frames the face with a cusp over the forehead. The limestone figure shares with NO.7 the square
beard, but the beard of No. 8 is worked in spiral curls. However, all three have upstanding ears and a
slightly open mouth with the tongue hanging out. The cusp over the forehead confirms that they are
wearing lions' masks since this is a particular characteristic of the manes of Cypriot lions, especially
during the Archaic period.172 Both NO.7 and the limestone figure are naked, but No. 8 wears a plain
skirt with a broad belt below the waist, and like NO.7 his arms are bent and held across his
chest with clenched hands. NO.7 holds a snake in each hand which curls up onto either shoulder.
The association of "Bes" with snakes dates from his earliest appearances in Egyptian art, but it is on
Phoenician gems that they rise up over his shoulders in this manner.173 Other parallels for these
snakes are the terracotta figurines from Kharayeb174 and the" Bes " mould from the potters' quarter
at Dermech near Carthage;175 but these are all of later date. Snakes are carried in a similar manner
by a terracotta figure from Patriki in Cyprus176 and this is approximately contemporary with our
No.7 for which a date in the first half of the sixth century is suggested by the treatment of the face and
the cusp of the mane. But the Patriki figure is not" Bes ". The limestone figure who is not dwarf-
like in appearance and whose behaviour recalls that ofa Greek satyr as much as " Bes ", with his less
exaggerated eyes, may be of the third or last quarter of the sixth century. No.8 with his spiral-
worked beard may be approximately contemporary.
Two more terracotta figurines in the Louvre also represent" Bes ". The first (No.9: PI. XVI A)
was found at Larnaca, and is moulded with a flat back. It is broken off below the knees, but" Bes "
seems originally to have been squatting. His arms are bent over his chest and his hands are clenched,
but unlike" Bes " in his role as master of animals who may hold his arms in this position, he is
apparently holding nothing like No.8. Figurines of Ptah as a dwarf pose in a similar way,177also
with empty hands, and one made of the same buff terracotta as NO.9 and also now in the Louvre
(PI. XVI B) may come from the same site. " Bes " has a square-cut beard rendered in small spirals
and a flat nose. His ears, placed rather high up on his head, are more human than animal, and the
treatment of the beard is also found for humans in Cyprus.178 This" Bes" figurine is evidently
influenced by Ptah as a dwarf and as a result had lost some of his leonine characteristics.
169 A. Caquot and O. Masson, Syria XLV (1968), pp. 294 fr. 173 As, AG I, PI. VII.23.
170 As SCE IV.2, pp. 97-9. For the dating of Cypriot sculpture 174 M. Chehab, BMB'!Yr X (1951-2), nos. 35-7, PI. VI.
see L. Budde and R. V. Nicholls, Catalogue of Sculpture in the 175 Note 140 above.
Fitzwilliam Museum (1964), pp. 5-8; G. Schmidt, Samos VII 176 V. Karageorghis, RDAC (1971), 27 ff., no. 7, PI. XV.
(1968), especially pp. 93-8. 177 Note 159 above. Cf. also Kharayeb no. 34, BMB'!Yr X
171 HCC, no. 1121. (1951-2), PI. VII.3.
172 See my forthcoming study of the Cesnola Sarcophagi. 178 E.g., RGG, nos. 1351, 1352.
96 LEVANT
The limestone " Bes " (No. 10, PI. XVI C) also has his arms bent over his chest and his hands
clenched. He has a square-cut beard rendered in squares and shaggy mane-like hair through which
a pair of short horns is trying to protrude. He has the grotesque animal-like face of Bes and this and
his hair are those of a lion. He is squatting right down with his feet turned outwards so as to be al-
most seated, and this pose is borrowed from Greek satyrs. There is a series of East Greek terracotta
satyrs in this guise, probably made in Rhodes, which begins about 500 B.C. and these must have
influenced the Cypriot sculptor.179
In a similar pose are limestone statues from the fifth-century palace at Vouni (No. I I) and another
statue now in Nicosia (No. 12). These are summarily executed and poorly preserved, but" Bes " is
recognizable by his rather grotesque head and square-cut beard, and No. 12 is holding an animal
upside down like the Amathus colossus (No. 16).
From the site of Amathus come a terracotta figurine found in a fifth-century tomb (No. 13,
PI. XVI D), a limestone relief recently discovered on the acropolis (No. 14) one of the Cesnola
sarcophagi decorated in relief with four" Bes" figures at one end (No. 15 PI. XVII A), and the famous
Amathus colossus (No. 16). No. 13 shows" Bes " in his most typical pose, squatting with both hands
resting on his thighs. He is naked and his head is completely bare. He has a square-cut beard but no
attempt has been made to render the details. He has rounded animal ears and rather animal-like
features. This " Bes " figure is very similar to the terracotta from Marathus which was compared
with an ivory mirror handle of Dyn. xviii from Thebes.1so Both the Phoenician and Cypriot" Bes"
figures have no lion tail visible between the legs, and the baldness of the Cypriot figure is more notice-
able because he does not carry any kind of capital on his head as do both the Egyptian and Phoenician
" Bes ". The same baldness is found on one of the Nimrud plaques,lS1 although there" Bes " wears
a feather crown.
W estholm IS2has put forward convincing arguments for a Roman rather than Archaic date for the
colossus (No. 16). He compares the position of the arms bent over the chest and holding a lion with
its head downwards with the pose of Ptah as a dwar~ but, as we have seen, Cypriot " Bes " pose in
this manner from at least the fifth century (and NO.7 (PI. XVI B) holding snakes, is of the sixth
century) and earlier the Nimrud bronze figure likewise has his arms bent across his chest.1S3 "Bes"
as master of animals is a popular theme in Phoenicia. On the limestone relief (No. 14) which is
extremely worn and was apparently reused, he may be shown in this role.ls4 His head and upper
body are frontal and his arms are bent over his chest. The lower part of the body seems to be twisted
and he was perhaps in three-quarter view turning to the left. He has a broad face with a beard, and
seems to have horns as well which have already been noted twice in Cyprus (No. 10, PI. XVI C and
No. 16). At the left are traces of an animal which he would have been holding upside in his right
arm. In a similar guise he appears on the silver girdle from Marion (No.5). On this girdle he is in
three-quarter view walking to the left and holding two pairs of animals of which the lower ones
spring downwards as the animal on the relief. The same motifis illustrated on a number ofPhoeni-
cian master of animal gems.1SS
On the Cesnola sarcophagus (No. 15, PI. XVII A) four" Bes " are shown in three-quarter view,
running to the right, their hands resting on their thighs. They all wear pleated kilts which are
fringed and reach to the knees. Only one head survives which has grotesque features and shaggy hair
ending on the shoulders in spiral locks. The square-cut beard is worked in spirals and he has two
short horns. The dress is clearly a version of the Eastern kilt regularly worn by " Bes ". The beard
179 Chr. Blinkenberg, Lindos I (1931), pp. 561 ff.; Higgins. in this guise are probably made in Naucratis, R. V. Nicholls,
BMC Terracottas, pp. 73-4, nos. 159-65. Classical Review LXXXV (1971), pp. 145-6, but clothed
180 Notes 130, 131, above. versions may be Cypriot (RDAC 1974 forthcoming).
181 Above note 89, no. 2. 184 These observations based on an examination of the relief
182 A. Westholm, Studies in honour of M. Nilsson (1939), pp. do .not entirely agree with the published description, C.
514 ff. Adelman, RDAC (1971), pp. 59-64.
183 Above note 89, no. 3. Cf. also the lion tamers who hold the 185 J. Boardman, Budapest XXXII-XXXIII (1969), pp. 9-10,
beast with head downwards in one hand. The naked figures no. i-vii.
differs slightly from" Bes ,,, normal square-cut or spi;ral-ended beard. It is basically square-cut but is
worked in short spirals, similar to the beard of the terracottas Nos. 8 and 9 (PI. XVI A, right) and
Cypriot statues of the late sixth century have the same beard.186 The shaggy mane-like hair recalls
the" Bes " figures of the Phoenician scarabs and some other Cypriot representations as Nos. 10, 14,
and 16 (PI. XVI C).187
These" Bes " are again horned. Horned grinning demons, tentatively identified as Humbaba,
were found in late seventh- and sixth-century contexts at Amathus, and a number of Cypriot" Bes "
are horned.188 Although particularly popular in Cyprus, a horned" Bes" is almost unknown else-
where.189 On one Phoenician gem 190" Bes " wears horns very like those of the sarcophagus " Bes "
but this is a rare example and the gem itself could be of Cypriot manufacture. Gods or demi-gods
with human features are in the Cypriot tradition. The horned gods from Enkomi of the very late
Bronze Age are early examples.191 A group of terracotta figures of the earlier sixth century from
Patriki includes one member who not only carries snakes in the same manner as our No. 7 (PI.
XVI B), as we have seen, but is also horned. A horned figure also stands behind the Pharaoh in the
central medallion of a silver bowl from Idalion which is probably of the seventh century B.C.192
There are no close Eastern parallels. The first canonic Greek gorgon is horned,193 and there are a
number of horned gorgons in Archaic Greek art. Of all possible candidates, only the Assyrian
demon Pazuzu with his leonine features and horns could have helped in the creation of the Greek
gorgon.194 During the seventh century the Greeks produced a number of experimental gorgon masks,
among which may be included the head decorating an ivory seal from Sparta of the later seventh
century.195 The late seventh-century Cypriot" Humbaba " could have borrowed his horns from a
Greek experiment like this, or else they were drawing on their own tradition. Although the number
of horned gorgons is comparatively small, they are earlier than the Cypriot horned " Bes " which is
first found about 500 B.C. (The gem may be of the late sixth century, but the figurine No. 10, PI.
XVI C, is no earlier than the fifth century. The relief No. 14, is worn and difficult to date
but could be approximately contemporary with the sarcophagus, PI. XVII A, thus belonging to the
second quarter of the fifth century.196 The colossus, No. 16, is Roman.) Cypriot figurines, apart
from the amulets which were imported, do not wear a feather crown and the horns may be used
partly as a substitute.
On the Cesnola sarcophagus the " Bes " figures place their hands on their thighs as he does in his
most typical guise. Here, however, they are not stationary but running. The position of the legs
recalls the knielauf pose. This has a long history in the East whence it was adopted by Greece.197
The Greeks, however, only rarely portray the kneeling master of animals so popular in the East.
Instead the gorgon is often shown in the knielauf pose, particularly in the Archaic period, and it is from
186 E.g., HCC, nos. 1351, 1352. of a terminus ante quem of c. 600 B.C. For example, some pieces
187 See above § 2b for scarabs. Other Cypriot examples, Cata- come from Etruscan tombs which were probably closed
logue nos. 10, 14, 16 (PI. XVI C). around the middle years of the seventh century, cf. E.
188 For Humbaba see above and notes 161-7. Other horned Richardson, The Etruscans (1964), pp. 43 ff; Strom, Ope cit.,
" Bes" in Cyprus, Catalogue nos. 10, 14, 16 (PI. XVI C). especially pp. I 15 ff. for general discussions. Other dis-
189 Hellenistic figurines from Kharayeb are said to have goat cussions of the date of these bowls include, R. D. Barnett,
horns, Chehab, BMBeyr X (1951-2), nos. 34-7, but these Eretz Israel VIII (1967), pp. I fr.; K. Kubler, Kerameikos
are somewhat different and are attached to a kind of capital. V1.2 (1970), pp. 396 ff.; W. Culican, Syria XLVII (1970),
W. Culican, A]BA 1.1 (1968), p. 95, note 193, suggests that pp. 65 ff.
they are borrowed from Pan. The horned masks discussed 193 H. Payne, Necrocorinthia (1931), p. 80, Fig. 23A; H. V.
by Cintas, note 163 above, certainly do not represent" Bes ". Herrmann, RM LXX (1963), pp. 1-3; P. Cintas, Manuel
190 J. Boardman, Budapest XXII-XXIII (1969), p. 10, no. iii, d'Archeologie Punique I (1970), p. 455.
Fig. 10. 194 Recently, P. R. S. Moorey, Iraq XXVII (1965), pp. 33-41.
191 SCE IV.ld, p. 430, nos. 3,4; P. Dikaios, Enkomi I (1969), p. 195 Marangou, Ope cit., p. 43, Fig. 59.
295, PIs. 138.36, 139-44; II (1971), pp. 529-30; H. W. 196 Cf. my forthcoming study of the Cesnola sarcophagi.
Catling, Alasia I (1971), pp. 15 ff., Fig. I. 197 H. Frankfort, Cylinder Seals (1939), p. 173; H. Kantor,
192 Patriki figure: V. Karageorghis, RDAC (1971), p. 33, no. 7, ]NES XVI (1957), pp. 148-9, Fig. 4; idem, ]NES XXI
PI. XV. Idalion bowl: E. Gjerstad, OpArc IV (1946), pp. (1962) pp. 109 ff. For gorgons see also, H. Goldman,
1 I ff., PI. X. The dating of this and similar decorated metal Be~ytus XIV (1961), pp. I ff. For winged figures, M. von
bowls is a problem, but the evidence in general is in favour ~eland, Antike Kunst. Beiheft VII (1970), pp. 24 fr.
98 LEVANT
Greece that the sculptor of the sarcophagus has adopted and modified the motif. The figures are
rather squat and square, somewhat similar to Egyptian dancing" Bes " figures of the New King-
dom,198or the" Bes " on Phoenician gems,199when his dwarfness is no longer emphasized. Perhaps
the sarcophagus figures represent not the Bes-gods but men wearing" Bes "masks. By this time in
Greece actors were wearing satyr masks and clay versions of sixth-century date found in Samos are
apparently a substitute for linen ones.100 However when this scene is considered together with the
others of the sarcophagus, this interpretation seems rather improbable.
The terracotta figurine in the Pitt Rivers Museum (No. 17, PI. XVII C) is of unknown provenance,
but, since it was formerly in Cesnola's collection, it was probably found in Cyprus. If Cypriot, it is at
present the only known local example of the modified version of" Bes " at his most typical, as found
in Egypt from the Saite period (Fig. I. I) .101 Only the cord around the waist is lacking. There is no
lion's tail between his legs, but the lion's head and paws on the chest, the feather crown and pose, are
all in keeping with the Egyptian model. Apart from the faience amulets, No. 13 (PI. XVI D), a
terracotta from Amathus, is in the same pose, but it is comparatively rare for locally made figures.
No. 17 could be approximately contemporary with No. 13, that is of about the fifth century B.C.
" Bes" has been identified on some other Cypriot objects. On the silver bowl from Idalion,102
in the outer zone, a figure wearing a lion's or leopard's skin is seen fighting and shouldering a lion.
On one occasion while shouldering a lion he grasps a goose by its neck. "Bes" in these guises has
been noted on Phoenician gems but different here is the way the lion-skin may be worn pulled up
over the head. A similarly clad figure appears in the central medallion of another decorated metal
bowl from Salerno, but he is completely human.203 " Bes " with the lion-skin over his head is not
uncommon in Egypt,204 but in the East specific representations are of the earlier second millen-
nium.20s A good parallel is the scene on an Egyptian chalice of the tenth century206 where not only is
the lion-skin worn in this manner but there is also a feather rising from the crown just as on the Saler-
no bowl. In Cyprus we have noted the lion's mane cusp on the forehead on a number of examples.
Lion slayers are a popular subject for decorating metal bowls and Culican 207may be right in identify-
ing them as the Phoenician Melqart or Baal (the two were synonymous at Tyre). In Greece Melqart
was later to become associated with Heracles and this hero regularly wore the lion-skin pulled up
over his head.208 By the sixth century his encounter with the Nemean lion was established in Greek
art and, although he reputedly won his lion-skin from this encounter, even the Greeks sometimes
showed him wearing it during the fight.209 Heracles himself became a popular motif on the Phoeni-
cian gems210 and some figures are described as "Bes-Heracles". 211 This confusion is perfectly
understandable in Phoenician and Cypriot iconography, but our metal bowls with their lion-skin
clad figures are earlier than such gems. The Idalion bowl showing Melqart and the Bes-like figure
side by side performing similar tasks show how hero and demon are interchangeable although the
demon uses no weapons. The identification of the lion \vrestlers and masters of animals on the
19B Cf. especially above note 19.9, k. 207 W. Culican, .Abr Nahrain II (1960-1), p. 43; idem, AJBA
199 § 2b above. 1.1 (1968), pp. 94 ff.
200 As, Higgins, BMC Terracottas, no. 523; A. Pickard-Cam- 20B For Heracles and Melqart see in particular, G. and Ch.
bridge, Dramatic Festivals of Athens (1968 ed.), pp. 184 ff. Picard in Hommages a J. Bayet (1964), pp. 596 ff. AlBo, J.
201 § I a above. Boardman, RAr (1971), pp. 196-8, Fig. 4.
202 E. Gjerstad, OpArc IV (1946), pp. II ff., PI. X. Cf. W. 209 As, Archaic Gems, p. 98, no. 217, PI. XIX. For the exploit in
Culican, AJBA 1.1 (1968), pp. 95-6. See also note 192 general see, F. Brommer, Herakles (1972 ed.), pp. 7-II.
above. 210 As, Boardman, RAr (1971), p. 198, Fig. 5. Cf. also, AG III,
203 W. Frohner, Collection Tsykiewicz (1892), PI. II; F. Poulsen, P·99·
Der Orient und die jriihgriechischen Kunst (1912), pp. 27 ff., 211 As, de Ridder, Ope cit., nos. 2780-3. Culican, AJBA 1.1
no. 22, Fig. 20. (1968), p. 195, note 194, quotes two gems as showing" Bes "
204 E.g., MK figurine, note 7 above; relief of Dyn. xx, note 43 with the lion-skin over his head but of these Vollenweider,
above. Ope cit., no. 149 is surely simply Heracles and the second,
205 As the figurines from Ala<;a Hiiyiik and Byblos, notes 71 and ibid., no. 157 is a normal "Bes" as in note I I9 above.
72 above. More relevant are the gem in Seyrig's collection which he is
206 G. A. D. Tait, JEA XLIX (1963), pp. 124-5, no. xxxiii, discussing and also HCC, no. 4196, where the figure wears the
PI. XXI.2. See also note 22 above. lion-skin like Heracles but in addition has a feather crown.
Idalion bowl must remain enigmatic for the present but this is an interesting early example of a scene
which at a later date might be interpreted as Heracles and the Nemean lion. The presence of these
lion-skin clad figures on the two bowls also raises the question of whether the Cypriots gave Heracles
his lion-skin, but this cannot be discussed here. "Bes" has been associated with Heracles in another
Cypriot context. On a fine relieffrom Golgoi showing Heracles and the cattle of Geryon,212Eurytion
has been described as having a " Bes " mask, but this is surely simply the artist's way of indicating
the super-human qualities of the herdsman and there is no reason to identify him with" Bes ".213
Composite Bes-like figures decorate a terracotta mould and a limestone plaque. The first, No.
18, was found at Kythrea, ancient Chytroi in northern Cyprus, and is complete. The second (No. 19,
PI. XVII B), with its left side broken away, probably comes from the same part of the island. On the
mould" Bes " has a human body with arms and legs, and a wing and a tail. On the plaque (PI.
XVII B) his body is more bestial, but the feet are human (the forelegs or arms are missing), but he
again has a tail and is winged. He is kneeling on his left knee and his head is missing, although the
back part of the smooth mane-like hair and one animal ear are visible. Both" Bes " recall the gor-
gon-horses portrayed on Archaic Greek gems of an early group.214 These have a human forepart
with arms and legs, to which isjoined the hind-quarters and legs of a horse. They are usually winged
and both wings are often shown. They have the head of a gorgon, or sometimes of a satyr, but one is
very like a " Bes " mask with its feather crown.215 They may wear a long open-sided skirt, but can be
naked, and they usually grapple with animals. Often they are in the knielauf position, kneeling on one
of their human forelegs. The Cypriot" Bes " figures lack the equinine hind-quarters, but share with
the gorgon-horses the wings and tail and human arms and legs. The plaque" Bes" is also in the
knielauf position, although his horizontal body makes it seem as though he is kneeling on one of his
hind-legs. However if his forelegs were human arms, like the gorgon-horses he would be kneeling on
a human leg. On the mould" Bes " grasps a bull by its horn and brings it down onto its knees.
Heroes on Assyrian seals of the thirteenth and twelfth centuries in the same manner grasp an animal
by its horn and bring it to its knees.216 In Archaic Greek art Theseus deals with the minotaur in the
same way,217and on an Archaic Greek gem Heracles likewise grapples with Acheloos.218 Again the
Cypriots have confused " Bes " with a Greek hero. This" Bes " has a grotesque head with fleshy
cheeks, animal ears, and a broad v-shaped smile. The features in general recall those of other
Cypriot " Bes " figures as does the rendering of the mane-like hair with a cusp over the forehead.
Although a smiling" Bes "is not unknown in Cyprus, here the artist is perhaps copying statues of the
later sixth century, where Greek influence may partly account for the Archaic smile.219 The beard is
rendered in an unusual way in strands ending in spiral curls. While it is true that this is similar to the
beards of heroes portrayed on Mesopotamian cylinder seals, these are rather distant parallels.220 In
Cyprus" Bes " may have a stranded square-cut beard as in Egypt, while on other occasions he has a
spiral-cut beard like Cypriot men. It is not impossible that this beard is an original creation of the
artist who has improved on the simple square-cut beard by giving it spiral ends, perhaps in part
influenced by the" Bes " with spiral beard by now popular in Egypt.
The Cypriots' tendency to mix up iconography is well illustrated by the heads used to decorate
the shentis worn in the second half of the sixth century B.C.221 On one (PI. XVIII A) the head is gro-
tesque with fleshy cheeks, animal ears, and tongue hanging out. From the chin curl out snakes,
212 HCC, no. 1368; O. Masson, BCH XCV (1971), pp. 316 fr., 171-3.
Fig. 10; F. Brommer, Denkmiilerlisten zur griechischen Helden- 217 E. Kunze, Archaische Schildbiinder (Olympische Forschungen
sage I (1971), p. 49. II 1950), pp. 129 fr.; Archaic Gems, p. 47.
213 The Cypriot sculptor possibly confused the herdsman 218 Ibid., p. 48, no. 74.
Eurytion with the centaur of the same name also encountered 219 SCE IV.2, pp. log fr.
by Heracles, cf. Roscher, I, pp. 1433-4. Representations of 220 E.g., H. Frankfort, Cylinder Seals (1939), PIs. XVI-XVII.
that scene include, F. Bonner, Vasenlisten zur griechischen 221 I. HCC, no. 1266; Riccioni, p. 135,Fig. 6; V. Karageorghis
Heldensage (1973 ed.), pp. 55-6. BCH XCIII (1969) p. 452, note 5 (PI. 15).
214 Archaic Gems, pp. 27 fr. 2. KBH, PIs. XCI.4; CXL.2; Riccioni, p. 135,Fig. 7.
215 Ibid., pp. 29-30, no. 37, PI. II. 3. BMC Sculpture 1.2, p. 21, no. C.18, Fig. 14 (Pl. 16).
216 U. Moortgat-Correns, Festschrift A. Moortgat (1964), pp. 4. HCC, no. 1035 (PI. 17).
100 LEVANT
reminiscent of the Egyptian and Phoenician snake-breathing" Bes ". The baldness recalls the Ama-
thus terracotta No. I, PI. XVI D. This is certainly a " Bes "mask. Statues in Berlin222 and the
British Museum (PI. XVIII B) 223were probably made a few decades later. On these the head still
breathes snakes from its mouth, but the looped snakes around the head are borrowed from the Greek
gorgon, and the particular shape of the head with the faint smile is close to the Greek gorgoneia of
the later sixth century. 224 Decorating the shenti of a fourth statue (PL·XVIII C) 225perhaps made in the
last quarter of the sixth century is a head with a beard beginning from the cheeks and hair. The uraei
now spring out by the ears and cross over below the neck. This head is close to the Greek silen mask,
particularly to examples from the Greek islands.226 A true satyr head is shown at the waist of a
Cypriot statue in the Louvre (PI. XVIII D). This again follows Egyptian custom,227 but the icono-
graphy is Greek.
4. CONCLUSIONS
Throughout the name" Bes " has been used collectively. It is difficult, if not impossible, to dis-
tinguish the various dwarf gods in Egypt. The Egyptians make" Bes " an important figure with an
apotropaic function, who acts as patron of music and dancing and as guardian of many people
including mothers, Horus and warriors, and he becomes assimilated with other gods. Outside
Egypt the name of the figures identified as " Bes " is completely unknown. In the past scholars 228have
drawn attention to the passage in Herodotus where Cambyses enters a temple of Hephaestos in
Memphis and makes sport of the image. The image is said to be very like the Pataeci which the
Phoenicians placed. on the prow of their ships. There is some evidence for a human pygmy god in
Egypt known as Ptah.229 Herodotus goes on to describe images in the temple of the Kabeiroi, which
likewise resemble the image of Ptah. Recent research has shown that the Kabeiroi are not of
Phoenician origin, but probably came from Phrygia.230 There are no reasons to identify" Bes " in the
East with either the Pataeci or Kabeiroi.
The first representations of " Bes " in the East show him in Egyptian guise, although the skirt
and wings probably originate in the East. In the Iron Age the Phoenicians begin to establish their
own iconography for" Bes ". They like to show him with his arms bent across his chest, and portray
him as a master of animals or Eastern hero. He becomes confused with Eastern demons. Craftsmen
working for the Achaemenid court in the West adopt " Bes " from Phoenicia and they add the Bes-
sphinx to the repertoire. The Cypriots learn mostly from the East, but the island's position between
the East and Greece, and also its close contact with Egypt, means that here in particular" Bes "
becomes confused with other heroes and demons both Eastern and Greek. The representations in
general have no deep significance but if Cypriot" Bes " has any function it is simply apotropaic.
ADDITIONAL ABBREVIATIONS
AG A. Futwangler, Die antike Gemmen I-III (1900)
AJBA Australian Journal of Biblical Archaeology
AM Mitteilungen des deutschen archiiologischen
Institut. Athenische Abteilung
Archaic Gems J. Boardman, Archaic Greek Gems (1968)
Arch Rep Archaeological Reports. Supplements to Journal of Hellenic Studies
Ballod F. Ballod, Prolegomena zur Geschichte der zwerghafte Gotter in .ifgypten (1913)
222 Note 221, no. 2. 227 As, W. Wolf, Die Kunst lfgyptens (1957), pp. 422-3, Fig. 370.
223 Note 221, no. 3. 228 As, M. Sandman-Holmberg, The God Ptah (1946), pp. 182 ff.
224 Cf. Riccioni, Figs. 65, 68, 70. 229 Ibid. Also, W. Spiegelberg, " Agyptologische Mitteilungen"
22S Note 221, no. 4. Sitzungberichte der Bayerischen Akademie des Wissenschaft.
226 Samos: E. Buschor, Altsamische Standbilder III (1934), p. 53, Phil-Hist Klasse (1925), pp. 8-11.
PIs. 200-I; Higgins, BMC Terracottas, p. 42, no. 523, PI. 70. 230 O. Kern, Die Religion der Griechen I (1926), pp. 235 ff.;
Thasos: F. Jesi, Aegyptus XLII (1960), Pl. facing p. 275. B. Hemberg, Die Kabiren (1950).
BMC British Museum Catalogue

BSA Annual of the British School at Athens
Budapest Bulletin du Musee Hongrois. Budapest
Excavations A. S. Murray et aI., Excavations in Cyprus (I goo)
HCC J. L. Myres, Handbook of the Cesnola Collection (1914)
Heuzey, Catalogue L. Heuzey, Catalogue des figurines de terre cuite du Louvre (1923)
Ivoires Pheniciens C. decamps de Mertzenfield, Inventaire commente des Ivoires Pheniciens (1954)
KBH M. Ohnesfalsch-Richter, Kypros, the Bible and Homer (1893)
Krall J. Krall, "Bes "in O. Benndorfand G. Niemann, Das Heroon von Gjolbaschi Trysa (1889),
pp. 72 ff.
Miroirs G. Benedite, Miroirs. Catalogue General du Musee de Caire (1907)
NI R. D. Barnett, Catalogue of the Nimrud Ivories (1957)
Nimrud M. E. L. Mallowan, Nimrud and its Remains I-II (1966)
NSc Notizie degli Scavi
Objets de Toilette G. Benedite, Objets de Toilette, Catalogue General du Musee de Caire (191 I)
PAE I1PCY.KTtKfX ' ApXfXWAoytK7]S' 'ETfXtP€tfXS'
Perrot-Chipiez III G. Perrot and Ch. Chipiez, Histoire de l'Art dans l'Antiquite III. Phenicie, Chypre (1885)
RDAC Report of the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus

Riccioni G. Riccioni, " Origine e sviluppo del gorgoneion " Rivista del'Istituto Nazionale d'Archaeo-
logia e Storia del Arte IX (lg60), pp. 127 ff.
RM Mitteilungen des deutschen archaologischen Institut. Romische Abteilung
Roscher Ausfiihrliches Lexicon der griechischen und romischen Mythologie edited W. H. Roscher
( 1884-1921)
SCE E. Gjerstad et aI., Swedish Cyprus Expedition
SE Studi Etruschi
Statues G. Daressy, Statues de Divinites. Catalogue General du Musee de Caire (1905-6)
Textes et Dessins Idem, Texles et Dessins Magiques. Catalogue General du Musee de Caire (1903)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would particularly like to thank Mr. J. Boardman, Dr. P. R. S. Moorey, and Professor C. M. Robertson.
for their valuable help in reading this paper and discussing it with me, and also Mr. J. M. Baines for advice
on Egyptological matters. I am most grateful to Professor F. Barreca of Cagliari Museum, Dr. D. von
Bothmer of the Metropolitan Museum, Mlle. A. Caubet of the Louvre, Mr. B. E. B. Fagg of the Pitt Rivers
Museum, Mr. D. E. L.Haynes of the British Museum, Drs. V. Karageorghis and K. Nicolaou of the Depart-
ment of Antiquities of Cyprus, and Professor M. Yacoub and Dr. M. Ennaifer of the Tunisian Museums all
of whom have given me facilities to study and publish material in their charge. This research was completed
during tenure of a Sir James Knott Fellowship at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne.
CYPRIOT REPRESENTATIONS OF "BES"
I. Faience bowl; painted decoration on the inside showing" Bes " between two figures.
From Cyprus, no provenance. Nicosia.
P. Dikaios, Guide to the Cyprus Museum (1962 ed.), p. 154, no. 6, Pl. XXXIII.5; SCE IV.ld, pp. 523,
591-2; E. J. Peltenburg, I1PCY.KTLKCY. TOV 7TPWTOV Ot€OvovS' KV1TpoAoYLKOV EVV€PLOV 1969 Vol. A (1972),
p. 131, PI. XXII!.I.
2. Finger ring; silver; on the bezel" Bes " naked apart from a feather crown in profile walking to the
left.
From Enkomi. BM London R999. L. 15 cm.
J. Boardman, BSA LXV (1970), pp. 6-7, nol xx, Fig. I.
3. Finger ring; bronze; on the rectangular bezel a summary" Bes ".
From Enkomi. BM London R1217.
Ibid., pp. 6-7, no. xxv.
102 LEVANT
4. Amulets; faience; "Bes" is naked and squatting with his hands on his thighs. He normally wears a
feather crown and the tail of the lion-skin may be visible between his legs.
Examples: From Marion Nicosia SCE II, pp. 32-322, Tomb 50.I6b, PI. LXIX.
From Kition Nicosia V. Karageorghis, BCH XCII (1968), p. 283, Fig. 45;
XCVI (1972), p. 1064, Fig. 80.
From Ayia Irini Nicosia SCEII, p. 794, type 7, nos. 2022, 2117, 2290, 2519, 2624,
PI. CCXLI.
From Amathus BM London Excavations, pp. 119-2°, Tomb 88.
5. Plaque; silver; embossed decoration showing " Bes " \valking to the left, but his head, now scarcely
visible, frontal. He wears a long skirt open down the left side and holds two pairs of animals, lions
springing upwards and goats springing downwards.
From Marion. BM London. L. 5.6 em., W. 3.1 em.
BMCJewellery, p. 163, no. 1576, Fig. 45, PI. 26; J. Boardman, Budapest XXXII-XXXIII (1969), p. 10.
6. Grotesque head of" Bes "; terracotta.
From Paleo-Kastro, near Pyla. Louvre AM 1196. Ht. 29 em.
P. Lacau, BIFAO II (1902), pp. 2°7-11, Fig. 2; O. Masson, BCHXC (1966), p. 8; A. Caquot andO.
Masson, Syria XLV (1968), pp. 294ff.; C. Adelman, RDAC (1971), p. 63, note I, Fig. 3
PI. XV C-D.
7. Upper part of" Bes "figurine; terracotta; his arms are bent across his chest and in each hand he
holds a snake which rises up onto the shoulders.
Cyprus, no provenance. Louvre AM 1701. Ht. 12·2 em.
L. Heuzey, Revue d'Assyrologie et d'Archeologie IV (1897), pp. 67-8, PI. 3; A. Caubet, Revue du Louvre XIX
(1969), p. 12, note 26; C. Adelman, RDAC (1971), p. 62, Fig. 2.
PI. XVI B.
8. Lamp; terracotta; it is in the shape ofa bowl to which is attached a nozzle for two \vicks. The handle
rises from the back and is modelled as a figure of" Bes ", visible down to the knees. He is standing with
his arms bent across his chest and wears a thigh length skirt with a belt.
From Rizokarpaso, Karpasia. New York 74.51.2364. Ht. 23·5 em.
HCC, pp. 307, 530-1, no. 1855; O. Masson, Inscriptions Chypriotes Syllabiques (1961), p. 329, no. 329;
idem, Syria XLVIII (1971), p. 448, note 5, Fig. 13.
9.- Figurine, broken at the knees; terracotta; "Bes" is naked and squatting with his arms bent across his
chest.
From Larnaca. Louvre MNB 129. Ht. 11·5 em.
Heuzey, Catalogue, pp. 165-6, no. 115, PI. VIIL6.
PI. XVI A, right.
10. Figurine; limestone; "Bes" is naked and squatting with knees and feet turned out so as to be almost
seated. His arms are bent and held over his chest with the hands clenched.
From Cyprus. Louvre AM 1702. Ht. 14 em.
L. Heuzey, Revue d'Assyrologie et d'Archeologie IV (1897), p. 68, PI. 111.2.
PI. XVI C.
I I. Statues; limestone; they are very weathered and fragmentary, but the " Bes " were evidently naked
and squatting with their arms bent over their chests.
From Vouni. Hts. 64 em., 54 em., 60 em.
SCE III, p. 255, no. 447, p. 259, no. 516, p. 260, no. 548, PI. LXXVI.I.
12. Statue; limestone; "Bes" is naked and squatting with his knees and feet turned outwards. His arms
are bent over his chest and he is holding an animal vertically with its head downwards.
From Cyprus, no provenance. Nicosia CIOIO. Ht. 68 em.
13. Figurine; terracotta; "Bes" is naked and squatting with his hands resting on his thighs.
From Amathus, tomb 88. BM London. Ht. 17 em.
Excavations, pp. 113-14, Fig. 165.3; Walters, BMC Terracottas, p. 27, no. A15I.
PI. XVI D.
14. Relief; limestone; "Bes" is shown in low relief on a rectangular block which has been re-used. He is
kneeling on his left knee and running to the left. His arms are bent across his chest and an animal is
partly visible over his left arm.
From Amathus, acropolis. Nicosia 1970{VII-24{1. Ht. 38 em., W. 30 em.

C. Adelman, RDAC (1971), pp. 59-64, Fig. I, PI. XXII.
15. Sarcophagus; limestone; decorated in high relief with four" Bes" figures at one end. They are
running to the right with their hands on their thighs and wear knee length pleated kilts.
From Amathus. New York 74.51.2453. L. 228·8 em., W. 109'5 em., Ht. 147'3 em.
Krall, pp. 76, 95-6, no. 84, Fig. 104; J. L. Myres, Antike Denkmiiler III (1909-1 I), pp. 1-2, Figs. 1-2,
Pis. 1-4; HCC, no. 1365; SCE II, pp. 1-2; IV.2, p. 116; C. Adelman, RDAC (1971), pp. 60-1.
PI. XVII A.
16. Colossal statue; limestone; "Bes" is standing with his arms bent across his chest and each hand
clasps the hind-leg of a headless lion which he holds vertically.
From Amathus. Istanbul. Ht. 420 em.
A. Westholm, Studies in honour of M. Nilsson (1939), pp. 514-28.
17. Figurine; terracotta; "Bes" is squatting with his hands on his thighs and is naked apart from the lion-
skin whose paws are visible on his chest.
Unknown provenance. Pitt Rivers, Cesnola PR 1875 2776. Ht. I 1'2 em.
PI. XVII C.
18. Matrix; terracotta; in relief a figure with human body and" Bes "-like head in three-quarter view.
He grasps a bull by its horn with his right hand and brings it to its knees.
From Chytroi. Nicosia I959jXI-6jI. L. 10 em.
V. Karageorghis, BCHLXXXIV (1960), p. 257, Fig. 25; P. Dikaios, Arch. Rep for 1961-2, p. 39, no. 10,
Fig. 20.
19. Plaque; limestone; its left side is missing; in relief a demon in profile to the right. He is winged and has
a tail, and originally four legs with human feet, but the forelegs are now missing.
From Aghirda-Krini. Kyrenia Castle KM rr 88. L. 8'5 em., W. 7 em.
v. Karageorghis, BCH XCIV (1970), p. 222, Fig. 66; K. Nicolaou, AJA LXXIV (1970), p. 393, PI.
102·9·
Pl. XVII B.

The Iconography of Bes With Particular Reference To The Cypriot Evidence

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Levant

The Journal of the Council for British Research in the Levant

ISSN: 0075-8914 (Print) 1756-3801 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ylev20

The Iconography of Bes with Particular Reference

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/lev.1975.7.1.77

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Download by: [Universite Laval] Date: 08 May 2016, At: 08:20

I. EGYPTIAN " BES "1

(e) "Bes" is associated with death.

37 At Luxor, H. Bonnet, Bilderatlas der Religiongeschichte.

2. "BES" IN THE EAST

(a) First Appearances

(b) "Bes" in Phoenicia (homeland)

in chronological order as far as possible.

Fig. 2. I is after Ivoires Pheniciens, PI. XXXV. 3 15.

95 Note 89, no. 5. second millennium (cf. T. E. Madhloom, Chronology of

(c) "Bes" in West PhoenicianCentres

(d) "Bes" in Persia

BMC British Museum Catalogue

RDAC Report of the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus

CYPRIOT REPRESENTATIONS OF "BES"

From Amathus, acropolis. Nicosia 1970{VII-24{1. Ht. 38 em., W. 30 em.

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