An Egyptian Steatite Scarab Amulet to Thutmose III

A glazed steatite Egyptian scarab beetle amulet with incised features to the obverse, forming the clypeus, prothorax and elytra. The reverse features incised hieroglyphs in two registers. The larger of the two includes a small cartouche with the throne name of Thutmose III. Within its circular boundary are three small and familiar signs; the ‘re’ sun disc, the ‘men’ draughtboard, and the ‘kheper’ scarab beetle sign. They form the name Men-Kheper-Re. Alongside this cartouche are four other signs. A large ‘men’ draughtboard’, a ‘n’ water ripple and an ‘i’ feather. Together these three signs form the name of the god Amun. The fourth sign is described as a hoe and translates as beloved. Thus the register reads in its entirety ‘Men-kheper-re, beloved of Amun’. The top registers depicts a reclining sphinx holding an ankh. Above him are a set of stylised hieroglyphs but could depict the epithet ‘Neb tawy’, ‘Lord of the two lands’.