Egyptian Deity Pendant, Herodian Structure Fragment Found in Jerusalem Dig

Popular Archaeology ^ | Tuesday, October 30, 2012 | unattributed

[SunkenCiv]

While deep within excavations of an ancient Byzantine tower structure in the Ophel area of Jerusalem, a team of archaeologists, students and volunteers recently unearthed two important finds representing ancient times that were centuries apart.

The first, only about one inch in length, was a small white necklace pendant made from faience... Originally green, the pendant was a figurine depicting the ancient Egyptian god Bes, a deity worshipped as a fertility god and protector of families and households, and in particular, of mothers, children and childbirth. The find is rare in that it is the first and only artifact of its kind, that of Bes, ever found in Jerusalem. Other Bes finds have been found throughout Egypt.

The artifact was first encountered by Elizabeth Blondeau, a volunteer with the Herbert W. Armstrong College, excavating along with team mates in the now famous Ophel area archaeological excavations directed by Dr. Eilat Mazar of the Hebrew University... According to Area Supervisor Amir Klonymous, the find may be related to a level associated with the Iron Age... when, according to the Biblical account, the kings of Israel and Judah reigned.

Dr. Mazar noted that figurines and pendants of Bes were "very common during the second millenium and also during the First Temple Period... The Phoenicians loved these figurines. They used them alot."

The second find, a large architectural fragment dated to the Herodian period (37 B.C. to 70 A.D.), was also found within the excavations of the Byzantine Tower... The fragment is part of a richly decorated Roman corinthian style cornice, thought to have once belonged to a relatively small structure built presumably near the Temple Mount that existed during the first half of the 1st century A.D.

[SunkenCiv]

Bes was staggeringly popular during Roman times, probably this dates from Roman rule or the Hellenizing/Romanising period before the Romans finally took over.

The excavated ruins of a Byzantine wall in the Ophel, with a modern street behind. Photo courtesy Shmuel Browns of Israel Tour Guide.

capital of a column to god Bes at Dendera, Egypt. Steve F-E-Cameron, Wikimedia Commons

[SunkenCiv]

GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe
A half hour ago, er, 50 minutes ago, I'd complained at how slow this was running and said I was going to bed instead of posting this topic. Changed my mind. I could be in dreamland now, argh. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.

[ncalburt]

Thank you

[GeronL]

I bet Bes caused Sandy!!

Bes’s fault

[blueunicorn6]

A rock wall.....It’s amazing to think that thousands of years ago, some teenage boy put a rock on this wall and said, “None of the other kids have to build rock walls. Travis is out skateboarding.” Some things never change.

[SunkenCiv]

Heh, if skateboarding wasn’t a crime in the ancient world, why were skateboarders executed by stoning?

[SunkenCiv]