A fine Ancient Egyptian turquoise faience rectangular plaque amulet with a relief representation of the head of Bes on one side. The head of the dwarf deity is depicted, facing forward wearing a headdress. The facial features are carefully rendered, displaying his almond shaped eyes, large nose and beard. The reverse is inscribed with a sequence of crudely incised and ambiguous hieroglyphs. A ribbed suspension loop has been attached to the top. Earthly encrustations and signs of wear as consistent with age, such as pitting, scratches, and chipping. Bes was known as a dwarf god and considered a protector of the home and of women and children. He was an unusual deity in the Egyptian pantheon as very little is known of his creation and he had no dedicated temples. He was however one of the most important gods and was worshiped fastidiously across Egyptian homes, with small dedicated shrines. Visually he was portrayed front-on, in comparison to a profile view seen of Egyptian wall art. He was described as a dwarf god, a warrior with a demonic quality to him and was a culmination of man and animal. As a warrior he was seen as a protector, initially especially for women and children but this role grew to include anyone who needed it. Measurements: (circa) L 2.3cm x W 1.5cm Provenance: Early 20th Century UK Collection