Mold for an Amulet of Bes with a Tambourine

Art Historical Context

Step into the mystical world of ancient Egypt with this intriguing pottery mold from the New Kingdom's Dynasty 18, dating to around 1390–1352 B.C. Measuring just 4.8 cm in diameter, this small artifact was used to craft amulets depicting Bes, a popular household deity known for his jolly, dwarfish form. Here, Bes is shown shaking a tambourine, fierce yet friendly grimace designed to scare away evil spirits while bringing joy and protection. Bes was especially revered by women and children, guarding against misfortune during childbirth and everyday life. Amulets made from such molds—likely pressed with clay or faience—were worn or placed in homes as affordable talismans, blending the sacred with the domestic. Pottery molds like this highlight the era's mass-production techniques, allowing widespread access to divine safeguarding amid the grandeur of pharaohs like Akhenaten and Tutankhamun. This piece, acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1911, exemplifies Egyptian art's fusion of whimsy and spirituality. In the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Egyptian collection, it reminds us how ancient beliefs in music, dance, and the grotesque intertwined to foster security in an unpredictable world.