Amulet of a Crouching Bear (664–332 BCE): Art, History and Details

Amulet of a Crouching Bear (664–332 BCE) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

For the Egyptians, the bear was an exotic species, and as early as 2400 BC it figures, though sporadically, in scenes of foreign tribute on tomb and temple walls. Representations of bears in the round are extremely rare. This bear, masterfully carved in hard greenish stone flecked with white, is a little gem. The animal rests on its haunches on a circular base, head bent forward, legs drawn up in a posture not unlike that of the classic pose for Egyptian gods. Sensitivity to such delightful details as the animal's perked-,up ears, tiny face, and wrinkled neck make this tiny giant a rare prize.

Object facts

• Title: Amulet of a Crouching Bear
• Date: 664–332 BCE
• Culture: Egypt, Late period (715–332 BCE)
• Type: Amulets
• Technique: green porphyry
• Dimensions: Overall: 3.8 cm (1 1/2 in.)
• Collection: Egypt - Late Period
• Department: Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Art
• Accession number: 1998.27

A detail from the museum

The bear is not native to Egypt, although until the beginning of this century it survived in Lebanon.

Collection credit

John L. Severance Fund

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.