Egyptian Scarab Amulet
Date: circa 664 B.C.
Inventory Number: MUS-117-0040
Classification: Sculpture
Place of Origin:
Misr,
Dimensions:
1.6 × 1.2 × 0.8 cm (5/8 × 1/2 × 5/16 in.)
Material:
Description:
Late Period Egyptian scarab amulet, c. 664 B.C., carved from steatite stone.The scarab is oval in shape and yellow-brown in color. The top of the scarab contains carved details of wings and antenas. The bottom of the scarab contains hieroglyphics, and legs are carved into the sides.
InscribedHieroglyphics (not translated)
FunctionAmulet with religious significance that could be carried by the living or burried with the dead. They were sometimes used as seals, hence the hieroglyphics on the back.
Historical AttributesAn iconic symbol in Ancient Egypt taking off during the Middle Kingdom, the scarab represented renewal and rebirth. The act of the dung beetle carrying a sphere of debris was linked with the god Khephri (the rising sun), bringing the life-giving sun over the horizon in a daily cycle of regeneration.
Primary SourcesFoley, Kierra. "Scarabs." archaeologicalmuseum.jhu.edu, Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum, 2021.
ProvenanceThis object was deacessioned from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection in 1956. This object was purchased by Rosemary DeFrancisci from ArtAncient, London antique dealer, in 2014.
Published ReferencesKnox, Sanka. "2,500 Eagerly Buy Museum Surplus." The New York Times, 13 Aug. 1958.