Cleveland Museum of Art

Amulet of a Crouching Bear

Date

664–332 BCE

Medium

green porphyry

Culture

Egypt, Late period (715–332 BCE)

Department

Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

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

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