Ca. 1st century BC - 1st century AD. Clay figure of Bes, an apotropaic deity, protector of the home. As such, he is often depicted on everyday household items such as chairs, pottery, or even on the walls of the house itself. Shown here wearing His plumed headdress and panther skin, Bes (possibly from the Nubian €œBesa€œ, or €˜Protector€˜) may have originally been a cat god. Why he evolved into a dwarf is not known. Affixed to a wooden base. Figure itself stands just over 3"H. Intact, generally very good, features a bit soft, as shown. Provenance