Egyptian Gold Swivel Ring with Steatite Scarab
£ 1,250.00
An ancient Egyptian gold swivel ring set with a steatite scarab. The anatomy of the scarab is delicately engraved and features a double-lined elytra, and prothorax, a small head, and large rounded clypeus with linear details and feathered tip. Delicately feathered legs wrap around the circumference of the base. Two curls are placed at either side of the prothorax. The scarab has been pierced longitudinally for suspension upon a gold wire, which was curled around a plain, rounded band. The reverse of the scarab features an assortment of hieroglyphs with apotropaic qualities, arranged in three vertical registers. These include the feather of Ma’at, the sun disc and the ‘nfr’ sign.
Measurements given below are the external width of the band and to the external edge of the scarab. The scarab alone measures 1.9cm in length, 1.4cm in width, and 0.7cm in height.
Closest UK Ring Size: P
Date: Circa 1750–1550 BC
Period: Second Intermediate Period
Condition: Excellent. Clear signs and gold still vibrant.
In stock
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 desert 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.
Swivel rings could have a practical function, the scarab used as a personal seal, or they could simply be decorative and worn for their apotropaic status.
