BES:
BES is the ancient Egyptian god of childbirth, fertility, sexuality, humor, and war, but served primarily as a protector god of pregnant women and children. He is regularly depicted as a dwarf with large ears, long-haired and bearded, with prominent genitals, and bow-legged. Usually he is shown holding a rattle but sometimes a snake (or snakes), a knife, or sword. The image of Bes was often positioned at gates for protection and almost always appears outside of birth houses.
He was also a popular image used in household goods such as mirrors, cosmetic cases, on furniture, and as knife handles. His feminine aspect is Beset who appears in spells to ward off ghosts, dark magic, evil spirits, and demons. Bes himself is actually a demon, more than a god, but that word should not be understood in the modern sense. A ‘demon’ (from the Greek word daimon) could be a good or bad entity along the lines of the Mesopotamian demon Pazuzu, who likewise presided over pregnant women and infants.
Article by Joshua J. Mark || Photos © by The Trustees of the British Museum on AHE