UPDATE: I always wondered how this endearing gold Bes
head amulet from the Late Period, c.664-332 BC, was worn by the ancient Egyptians because of the two suspension holes on the
bar at the back. Was it worn as a single piece,
brooch or
part of a necklace with other
amulets? Was it worn by a high-ranking
Egyptian male or female? Fortunately, I came across a remarkably similar Bes
head amulet on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The piece at the
Met is more stylised than my Late Period gold artefact and
comes from the
Achaemenid Empire, c.6th-4th century BC, with eyes and eyebrows that were originally inlaid. It was the centrepiece of a necklace comprised mostly of gold plaques with images of walking horses accompanied by attendants. In
Egyptian thought Bes played a protective role, and it is possible that this function was ascribed to him by the Persians as well.
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/325818