All
 
|
 
 


Bes-Warrior. Egyptian Terracotta Figurines from the Collection of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts
 
PIIS032103910016680-1-1
DOI10.31857/S032103910016680-1
Publication type Article
Status Published
Authors
Svetlana E. Malykh 
Affiliation:
Moscow State Lomonosov University
Institute of Oriental Studies, RAS
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow
Olga A. Vasilyeva
Affiliation:
Moscow State Lomonosov University
Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow
Olga Tomashevich
Affiliation: Moscow State Lomonosov University
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow
Journal nameVestnik drevnei istorii
EditionVolume 82 Issue 2
Pages446-472
Abstract

The article publishes and analyses six Egyptian terracotta figurines depicting the god Bes as a warrior of Graeco-Roman Period, including a unique statuette with a Greek inscription on the pedestal. All of them are kept in the storeroom of the De-partment of the Ancient East of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow. Five of them were collected by Vladimir S. Golenischev, one was in the so-called Old Collection of Moscow University. The iconography of a part of the analysed figu-rines contains a kind of ‘childish’ component inherited from the apotropaic god, pro-tector of the maternal sphere, and is associated with the ‘Horus on crocodiles’ magic steles. Another version of protective iconography includes a warlike component, ex-pressed in the military attitude of Bes. This image may have been a product of Ptole-maic propaganda, in which features of the Egyptian Bes-warrior and Bes – alter ego of the ‘Horus on crocodiles’ were successfully combined.

KeywordsGraeco-Roman Egypt, Egyptian terracottas, the god Bes, ancient Egyptian religion, Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts (Moscow)
AcknowledgmentThe article was prepared with the support of the grant no.19-18-00369 “The Classical Orient: culture, worldview, the tradition of studying in Russia (based on materials from the collection of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts and archival sources)” of the Russian Science Foundation.
Received28.03.2022
Publication date22.06.2022
Number of characters52941
Cite  
100 rub.
When subscribing to an article or issue, the user can download PDF, evaluate the publication or contact the author. Need to register.

Number of purchasers: 0, views: 754

Readers community rating: votes 0 

1. Abdelwahed, Y.E.H. 2016: Houses in Graeco-Roman Egypt. Arenas for Ritual Activity. Oxford.

2. Ägypten, Griechenland, Rom 2005: Abwehr und Berührung: Städelsches Kunstinstitut und Städtische Galerie, 26. November 2005. Frankfurt am Main.

3. Allen, J. 1974: The Book of the Dead. Chicago.

4. Altenmüller, H. 1965: Die Apotropaia und die Götter Mittelägyptens. Teil I. München.

5. Amiet, P. 1961: La glyptique mésopotamienne archaïque. Paris.

6. Ashton, S.-A. 2003: Petrie’s Ptolemaic and Roman Memphis. London.

7. Attula, R. 2001: Griechisch-Römische Terrakotten aus Ägypten. Bestandkatalog der figürlichen Terrakotten. Rostock.

8. Bailey, D. 2008: Catalogue of the Terracottas in the British Museum. Vol. IV. Ptolemaic and Roman Terracottas from Egypt. London.

9. Ballod, F. 1912: [A vase with a figure depicting a Demon from the collection of V.S. Golenishchev No. 2185]. Pamyatniki Muzeya izyaschnyh iskusstv imeni imperatora Aleksandra III v Moskve [Monuments of the Museum of Fine Arts named after Emperor Alexander III in Moscow]. Vol. I. Moscow, 31–36. Баллод, В. Ф. 1912: Ваза с фигурой-изображением Беса из собрания В.С. Голенищева № 2185. Памятники Музея изящных искусств имени императора Александра III в Москве. Вып. I. М., 31–36.

10. Ballod, F. 1913: Prolegomena zur Geschichte der zwerghaften Götter in Ägypten. Moskau.

11. Bataille, A. 1938: Une stèle grecque de Deir-el-Bahari. Annales du Service des Antiquités de L’Égypte 38, 63–67.

12. Bayer-Niemeier, E. 1988: Griechisch-römische Terrakotten. Liebighaus – Museum Alte Plastik. Bildwerke der Sammlung Kaufmann I. Frankfurt.

13. Berlev, O. D., Hodjash, S. I. 2004: [Sculpture of ancient Egypt in the collection of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts. Moscow]. Берлев, О. Д., Ходжаш, С. И. Скульптура древнего Египта в собрании ГМИИ им. А. С. Пушкина. М.

14. Berlev, O., Hodjash, S. 1982: The Egyptian Reliefs and Stelae in the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow. Leningrad.

15. Berlev, O.D. et al. (eds.). 2002: Put’ k bessmertiyu. Pamyatniki drevneegipetskogo iskusstva v sobranii GMII im. A.S. Pushkina. Katalog vystavki [The Path to Immortality. The Monuments of Ancient Egyptian Art in the collection of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts. Catalogue of the Exhibition]. Moscow. Берлев, О.Д. и др. (сост.). Путь к бессмертию. Памятники древнеегипетского искусства в собрании ГМИИ им. А.С. Пушкина. Каталог выставки. М.

16. Blackman, A.M. 1932: Middle-Egyptian Stories. Part II. Bruxelles.

17. Breccia, E. 1934: Terrecotte figurate greche e greco-egizie del museo di Alessandria. (Monuments de l’Égypte gréco-romaine, II.2). Bergamo.

18. Carter, G. 1959: [Tutankhamun’s Tomb]. Moscow. Картер, Г. Гробница Тутанхамона. М.

19. Dasen, V. 1993: Dwarfs in ancient Egypt and Greece. Oxford.

20. Dasen, V. 2015: Des Patèques aux «nains ventrus»: circulation et transformation d’une image’. In: S. Huysecom-Haxhi, A. Muller (eds.), Figurines grecques en contexte. Présence muette dans le sanctuaire, la tombe et la maison. Lille, 39–55.

21. Dawson, W.R., Uphill, E.P. 1995: Who was who in Egyptology. London.

22. Derchain, Ph. 1972: Hathor Quadrifrons. Istamboul.

23. Die Metternichstele in der Originalgrosse. 1877: Zum ersten Mal herausgegeben von W. Golénischeff. Leipzig.

24. Dunand, Fr. 1990: Catalogue des terres сuites gréco-romaines d’Égypte. Paris.

25. Dvoretskiy, I. H. (comp.) 1958: [Ancient Greek-Russian dictionary]. T. 1. Moscow. Дворецкий, И.Х. (сост.). Древнегреческо-русский словарь. Т. 1. М.

26. Ewigleben, C., Grumbkow, J. von. 1991: Götter, Gräber und Grotesken. Tonfiguren aus dem Alltagsleben im römischen Ägypten. Hamburg.

27. Fischer, J. 1994: Griechisch-Römische Terrakotten aus Ägypten. Die Sammlungen Sieglin und Schreiber. Dresden, Leipzig, Stuttgart, Tübingen. Tübingen.

28. Fjeldhagen, M. 1995: Catalogue Graeco-Roman Terracottas from Egypt. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. Copenhagen.

29. Fluck, C., Helmecke, G., O’Connell, E.R. (eds.). 2015: Egypt: Faith after the Pharaohs. London.

30. Frankfurter, D. 1998: Religion in Roman Egypt. Assimilation and Resistance. Princeton.

31. Fraser, P. 1972: M. Ptolemaic Alexandria. Vol. I. Oxford.

32. Germont, P., Livet, J. 2001: An Egyptian Bestiary. London.

33. Goddio, Fr., Fabre, D. (eds.). 2015: Osiris. Mystères engloutis d’Égypte. Paris.

34. Götter und Pharaonen. 1979: Roemer- und Pelizaeus-Museum Hildesheim; 29. Mai – 16. September 1979. Mainz.

35. Griesbach, J. (Hrsg.). 2013: GRYPTISCH. Griechisch–Ägyptisch. Tonfiguren vom Nil. Würzburg.

36. Hagen, F., Ryholt, K. 2016: The Antiquities Trade in Egypt 1880–1930. The H.O. Lange Papers. Copenhagen.

37. Hodjash, S.I. 1960: [A wand and a toilet vessel depicting a scene of magical protection. Ancient Egypt. Digest of articles]. Moscow, 242–260. Ходжаш, С.И. Жезл и туалетный сосуд с изображением сцены магической защиты. Древний Египет. Сборник статей. М., 242–260.

38. Hodjash, S.I. 2004: [Images of the ancient Egyptian god Bes in the collection of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts. The Catalogue]. Moscow. Ходжаш, С.И. Изображения древнеегипетского бога Бэса в собрании Государственного музея изобразительных искусств имени А.С. Пушкина. Каталог. М.

39. Hogarth, D.G., Edgar, C.C., Gutch, C. 1898/9: Excavations at Naukratis. The Annual of the British School at Athens 5, 26–97.

40. Hölbl, G. 2001: A History of Ptolemaic Egypt. London, New York.

41. Hornung, E. 1979: Das Todtenbuch der Agypter. Zürich, München.

42. Junker, H. 1911: Der Auszug der Hathor-Tefnut aus Nubien. Berlin.

43. Kaufmann, C.M. 1913: Ägyptische Terrakotten der griechisch-römischen und koptischen Epoche. Kairo.

44. Korostovtsev, M.A. 1957: [Ancient Egyptian finds in the USSR]. Vestnik istorii mirovoi kultury [Bulletin of the history of world culture] 2, 72–87. Коростовцев, М.А. Древнеегипетские находки в СССP. Вестник истории мировой культуры 2, 72–87.

45. LÄ I 1975 – Lexikon der Ägyptologie. 1975: Hrsg. von W. Helck, E. Otto. Bd. I. Wiesbaden.

46. Lauer, J.-Ph., Picard, Ch. 1955: Les statues ptolémaïques du Sarapeion de Memphis. Paris.

47. LIMC III 1986 – Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae. 1986: Bd. III. Zürich, München.

48. LIMC IV 1988 – Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae. 1988. Bd. IV. Zürich, München. 

49. Malaise, M. 2004: Bes et la famille isiaque. Chronique d’Egypte 79, 266–292.

50. Meeks, D. 1992: Le nom du dieu Bes et ses simplifications mythologiques. In: Intellectual Heritage of Egypt. Studies presented to L. Kakosy (Studia Aegyptiaca XIV). Budapest, 423–436.

51. Nachtergael, G. 1994: Statuettes en terres cuite de l’Égypte Gréco-Romaine. Recueil des signatures de coroplathes. In: M.-O. Jentel, G. Deschênes-Wagner (eds.). Tranquillitas. Mélanges en l’honneure de Tran tam Tinh. Vol. VII. Quebéc, 413–433.

52. Nefyodkin, A.K. 2019: [Names of swords in ancient Greek literature and in modern historiography. Parabellum novum. Voenno-istoricheskiy zhurnal]. 10 (43), 5–24. Нефёдкин, А.К. Наименования мечей в древнегреческой литературе и в современной историографии. Parabellum novum. Военно-исторический журнал 10 (43), 5–24.

53. Osiris. Kreuz. Halbmond. 1989: Drei Religionen Ägypten. Hrsg. Brunner-Traut E., Brunner H., Zick-Nissen J. Mainz am Rhein.

54. Outstanding Russian orientalist V. S. Golenischev and the history of the acquisition of his collection at the Museum of Fine Arts (1908–1922) 1987: (From the archive of the Pushkin Museum. Issue 3). Moscow. Выдающийся русский востоковед В.С. Голенищев и история приобретения его коллекции в Музей Изящных Искусств (1908–1922). (Из архива ГМИИ. Вып. 3). М.

55. Pavlov, V.V., Hodjash, S.I. 1985: [Egyptian Plastic of Small Forms]. Moscow. Павлов, В.В., Ходжаш, С.И. Египетская пластика малых форм. М.

56. Pavlova, O.I. 1984: [Amon of Thebes. Early history of the cult]. Moscow. Павлова, О.И. Амон фиванский. Ранняя история культа. М.

57. Perdrizet, P. 1921: Les terres quites grecques d’Égypte de la collection Fouquet. Nancy, Paris.

58. Petrie, W.M.F. 1905: Roman Ehnasya (Heracleopolis Magna) 1904. London.

59. Plut. DIO – Griffiths, J. Gw. 1970: Plutarchs De Iside et Osiride. Ed. with an engl. transl. and comm. Cardiff.

60. Quibell, J.E. 1898: The Ramesseum and The Tomb of Ptah-hetep. London.

61. Quibell, J.E. 1907: Excavations at Saqqara (1905–1906). Le Caire.

62. Raven, M. 2019: Egyptian Magic. The Quest for Thoth’s Book of Secrets. Cairo, New York.

63. RE VII, 1912 – Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft. Bd. VII, Halbband 14. Stuttgart.

64. Ritner, R.K. 2006. ‘And Each Staff Transformed into a Snake’: The Serpent Wand in Ancient Egypt. In: K. Szpakowska (ed.). Through a Glass Darkly: Magic, Dreams & Prophecy in Ancient Egypt. Swansea, 205–226.

65. Ritner, R.K. 2012: Household Religion in Ancient Egypt. In: J. Bodel, S.M. Olyan (eds.). Household and Family Religion in Antiquity. Oxford, Malden, 171–196.

66. Roeder, G. 1956: Ägyptische Bronzefiguren. Bd. 6.1. Mitteilungen aus der Ägyptischen Sammlung: Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung. Berlin.

67. Romano, J. 1989: The Bes-Image in Pharaonic Egypt. New York.

68. Spiegelberg, W. 1929: Die Weihestatuette einer Wöchnerin. Annales du Service des Antiquités de L’Égypte 29, 161–165.

69. Szymańska, H. 2005: Terres cuites d’Athribis. Turnhout.

70. Tomashevich, O.V. 2014: [Ancient Egyptian god Horus and Saint George. Lanterna nostra. For the anniversary of prof. I. L. Mayak]. Saint Petersburg, 23–33. Томашевич, О.В. Древнеегипетский бог Хор и святой Георгий. Lanterna nostra. К юбилею проф. И.Л.Маяк. СПб., 23–33.

71. Vink, F. 2016: Boundaries of Protection. Function and significance of the framing (lines) on Middle Kingdom apotropaia, in particular magic wands. In: G. Miniaci, W. Grajetzki (eds.). The World of Middle Kingdom Egypt (2000–1550 BC): Contributions on archaeology, art, religion, and written sources. Vol. II. London, 257–284.

72. Volokhine, Yu. 2003: Une representation de Bès armé. Bulletin de la Société d'égyptologie de Genève 25, 153–164.

73. Volokhine, Yu. 2010: Quelques aspects de Bès dans les temples égyptiens de l’époque Gréco-romaines. In: L. Bricault, M. Versluys (eds.). Isis on the Nile. Egyptian Gods in Hellenistic and Roman Egypt. Proceedings of the 4th International Conference of Isis Studies, Liège, November 27–29, 2008. Leiden, Boston, 233–255.

74. Wainwright, G. 1934: Some Aspects of Amūn. The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 20 (3/4), 139–153.

75. Walle, van de B. 1976: Le catalogue de la collection Ch. Bogaert. Chronique d’Égypte 51, 47–57.

76. Weber, W. 1914: Die ägyptisch-griechischen Terrakotten. (Königliche Museen zu Berlin. Mitteilungen aus der ägyptischen Sammlung, II). Berlin.

77. Wilkinson, R.H. 1999: Symbol and Magic in Egyptian Art. London.

78. Wilkinson, R.H. 2005: The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. Cairo.

79. Willems, H., Clarysse, W. (eds.). 2000: Les Empereurs du Nil. Paris.

(Бэс-воин_илл.pdf, 724 Kb) [Download]

Система Orphus

Loading...
Up