the form derived from an ancient Egyptian bronze bell, the exterior decorated with the face of the God Bes, with the heads of a jackal, a ram and the body of an crocodile.
Stamped ‘C.G’ for Carlo Giuliano
London, 1880
Height: 5.5cm
Provenance
The British Museum have several ancient Egyptian bronze bells of a comparable form, similarly decorated with Gods, Goddesses and animals. Several examples were acquired by the museum before 1880 (museum no.: EA38160).
The God Bes was worshipped by the ancient Egyptians as the deity of good things (drinking, merriment and music), as well as protector of the household. The jackal, ram and crocodile were all venerated as avatars of the Gods. The crocodile was associated with Sobek, god of the Nile and fertility; the jackal with the god Anubis, the guide to the underworld and the ram with the gods Khnum and Amun, the creator of men and the King of the Gods.