Dwarves

Many depictions of men of "stature smaller than common" are of dwarves. Dwarves were common in Egypt due to the fact that there was a high amount of inbreeding, which can cause achondroplasia (dwarfism). ¹ (Meyboom 150) Dwarves and pygmies are not exatly interchangable in the pictures. Dwarves typically are shown in Greek style clothing and around sophisticated buildings. They also have lighter skin in order to represent the Greek Egyptians. ² (Versluys 276)


Sometimes a dwarf or pygmy is represented with a large phallus. This is on account of the Egyptian god Bes, who is a dwarf god also shown with a large phallus. ³ (Meyboom 152) This connection with Bes adds a sense of fertility to both the land and the people. And as these are usually scenes of the Nile, "which provided Egypts fertility [and] caused much amazement during the whole of Antiquity" ⁴ (Versluys 294), the phallus reinforces the idea of Egypt as a fruitful land for the Romans to exploit. For some of the people who could afford to commission these frescoes and mosaics made their money off of the grain trade.

Moreover, dwarves are depicted in sexual acts on several occasions. "It is quite conceivable that this licentiousness was also generally associated by the Romans with Egypt, and in particular the Canopus "which had a bad reputation in Roman literature." ⁵ (Versluys 283) The Romans could express their beliefs of the Egyptians through their artwork. They could demonstrate their domination over them and show what they really thought of these people who had become their subjects.

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