Necklace with Squatting Bes Amulet and Floral Pendants

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Necklace with Squatting Bes Amulet and Floral Pendants

Place of OriginEgypt

Date18th–19th Dynasties (1550–1189 BCE)

Dimensionsoverall: 29 in. (73.7 cm)

MediumCarnelian, garnet, and jasper

ClassificationJewelry

Credit LineGift of Mrs. Grant Williams

Object number

1943.44

Not on View

DescriptionA necklace composed of numerous spherical and disc-shaped stone beads. The strand is punctuated by twenty-two drop-shaped pendants resembling floral buds (poppy or cornflower). The necklace features a focal point at the bottom center: a figural amulet carved in the shape of the dwarf-god Bes, depicted in a squatting position with bowed legs. The beads are graduated and arranged symmetrically around this central amulet.

Label TextThis necklace was designed not just for adornment, but for spiritual defense. Strung with carnelian, garnet, and jasper, its red hues invoked the revitalizing power of the sun and blood. Interspersed among the beads are floral pendants symbolizing rebirth, but the primary protector hangs at the center: a small amulet of Bes. Depicted in his characteristic squatting posture, the dwarf-god Bes was a fierce guardian of the household who warded off evil spirits and protected women and children. This piece was a personal gift to the museum from Caroline Ransom Williams, the first American woman to earn a Ph.D. in Egyptology.Exhibition HistoryToledo Museum of Art, The Egypt Experience: Secrets of the Tomb, October 29, 2010-January 8, 2012.