Bes Jar

Jar of fine Nile silt fabric, with one vertical handle, long cylindrical neck, ridge around rim, and ring base. On one side is an image of the god Bes modelled in incised and applied relief decoration. Part of the neck is broken and missing.

While some gods had their own temple, others were worshipped in the home. These lesser gods were sometimes called ‘demons’ and were scary-looking to frighten off harmful spirits. Bes, a fun-loving god, drove away evil forces. His image appears on household objects like mirrors, cosmetic pots and wine jars. Early images of Bes show him as a lion-legged man with a mane and tail. Over time his image changes and he becomes smaller but he keeps the lion’s mane and carries knives or a tambourine.