Some of the most overlooked Gods’ in the Kemetic faith today are perhaps some of the most beloved and important Gods of yesterday. I’m talking about Bes, a God close to my heart (and house).
Bes is a God closest to us for he lives among us, in our homes, and as a part of the family unit. He is the protector of the household and a personal protector, chasing away demons and evils that would seek to harm us.
He especially played a major role in the protection of sacred places, such as temples and palaces, with bricks often placed at entryways having his image carved into them to ward off evils.
In antiquity, he had an important role in the protection of pregnant women (and by extension their babies), with it being said that Bes would bang on a tambourine, dance, and shout to not only cover the noises of the birth but also to scare off any evils. However, his role does not end at birth as Bes is involved in our lives from birth, onwards. It is even said that when a baby laughs for seemingly no reason, it is because Bes is near and pulling funny faces.
To this day, in modern practice, we call upon Bes to guard over the pregnancy and to provide blessings and good fortune to both the expecting parent and the baby.
I often think about the reasons why such a favorable God like Bes would be so overlooked. Is it because of his uncanny appearance? With his common depiction being that of a dwarf, part-man-part-lion, with exposed genitals, bared teeth and tongue, and in a state of dance or squat… I guess he doesn’t cut the same majestic image as that of, say, Ra or Aset or Heru. But, personally, I think his rustic, primal image is what makes him charming and approachable.
What I’ve always loved about Bes is that he is commonly shown forward-facing which is unlike the majority of the Gods, who most often are seen from the side (although Hethert and Bat do have forward-facing images). Theirs depicts an otherwordly aura, mysterious with one eye on you and the other on a sacred realm only known to the Gods and the Akhu alike. Bes is forefront and center; he makes eye contact and he grins and snarls for all to see. After all, two eyes are better than one when you are always on guard duty.
Another often overlooked aspect is Bes’s female counterpart, Beset. These two are made better and stronger together, with Beset beating on her tambourine and Bes performing a warrior dance, together they are the most formidable protectors.
Whilst Beset achieved a higher presence in religions along the trade routes, she played no small role in the protection of the mundane and the sacred. She is a faithful companion and Bes’s equal; with Beset herself being able to fulfill the same roles as Bes on her own.
Still, I maintain that they are even better together than separate, and I think they’d agree!
I feel that every Kemetic household should provide a seat for Bes and Beset; you can only receive boons in return, and you could never have more loyal friends than them.
Seshen
Through The Reeds 