amulet-mould
- Museum number
- 1888,0601.747
- Description
-
Terracotta amulet-mould: head of Bes, with feather panache, marked by four deeply grooved feathers, protruding ears and incised beard either side of chin; made from a positive model; total size of mould small in comparison with impression; in pale red micaceous Nile silt fabric; no visible remains of paste/glaze inside impression.
- Production date
- 600 BC-570 BC (mainly)
- Dimensions
-
Diameter: 1.40 centimetres (depth of mould)
-
Diameter: 0.80 centimetres (middle of impression)
-
Height: 1.75 (impression)
-
Height: 2.80 centimetres
-
Width: 1.35 centimetres (impression)
-
Width: 2.70 centimetres (mould)
- Curator's comments
- In addition to glazed composition scarabs and scaraboids, the ‘Scarab Factory’ at Naukratis was also producing amulets (on the various productions from the Scarab Factory see Webb, forthcoming; see also Gorton 1996, 177-180, fig. 35). Petrie listed a number of different amulet-moulds, including one used for Bes head (Petrie 1886, 37, pl. XXXVIII, 14), which could be this specimen.
The negative mould was made by pressing a positive model into a ball of wet clay, with smooth band all round above the details of Bes head to aid extraction of the moulded object. An identical mould, BM 1920.0417.2, was likely made from the same matrix/positive model.
The drawing in Petrie 1886 (pl. XXXVIII, no. 14) is a slightly simplified version, but must be of the same piece(s). However, he does not mention these Bes heads in either his letter to Mr. Poole of 28th February 1885 or his publication (Petrie1886, 37b).
Gorton, A. F. 1996, Egyptian and Egyptianizing scarabs: a typology of steatite, faience and paste scarabs from Punic and other Mediterranean sites, Oxford.
Petrie, W. M. F. 1886, Naukratis. Part I, 1884-5 (Third Memoir of the Egypt Exploration Fund), London.
Webb, V. forthcoming, Faience finds from Naukratis and their implications for dating, in R. Thomas (ed.), The Naukratis workshop, held at the British Museum 16th – 17th December 2011.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- Fair , but some damage inside middle of impression - surface flaked off, vertical crack.
- Acquisition date
- 1888
- Department
- Greek and Roman
- Registration number
- 1888,0601.747
