Amulet of a Crouching Bear

664–332 BC

Amulet of a Crouching Bear, 664–332 BC. Egypt, Late Period. Green porphyry; overall: 3.8 cm (1 1/2 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund 1998.27 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.