In Ancient Phoenicia, as in many ancient societies, jewellery was an important social marker used to demonstrate wealth, social status and privilege. The amuletic nature of this pendant with the addition of a scarab, which, despite being a uniquely Egyptian innovation, soon became integrated into many neighbouring cultures that were in contact with the Ancient Egyptians, such as the Phoenicians. This piece therefore represents the combination of different characteristics, showing the inter-connectivity of various civilisations in the ancient world. This was due to well-established trade routes, with different peoples often borrowing styles and artistic techniques from one another.
The Phoenician sacred tree was a common motif on scarabs from Phoenicia, usually comprising the central channel of the engraved face. The trees featured a variety of attributes, including spirals, cups, palmettes, branches and bulbs, and were often topped by a winged creature or winged sun-disc. Attendants of both humans and animals were also commonly depicted in the fields on either side. Many of these animals, such as griffins and baboons, have mythological or religious context borrowed from Egyptian theology.
