An Egyptian Carnelian Scarab

$1,273.76

An Egyptian carved carnelian scarab with ridged carapace and naturalistic features. The underside has been left blank. Pierced for suspension.

 

Date: Circa 1550-1070 BC
Period: New Kingdom
Provenance: Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; formerly in an early 20th century collection
Condition: Excellent

SOLD

SKU: AH-643 Category: Tag:

The scarab beetle was an exceedingly popular symbol in the art of Ancient Egypt, thought to represent the sun god, Ra. The Ancient Egyptians believed that the scarab beetle rolling its ball of dung across the dessert mirrored the journey of the sun across the sky from day to night. As the beetle laid its eggs within the dung, it became a symbol of rebirth and regeneration. The use of carnelian as a material also linked to the sun god, Ra, as the stone’s fiery colour was connected to the solar cult.

To find out more about the use of carnelian in Ancient Egyptian culture please see our relevant blog post: The Significance of Carnelian in Ancient Egyptian Culture.

Weight 4.64 g
Dimensions L 2.3 cm
Culture

Region

Semi-Precious Stones