Egyptian Obsidian Scarab

£ 600.00

An Egyptian scarab beetle moulded from a black hardstone, most likely obsidian. The anatomical features have been naturalistically rendered to include the head, with a moulded clypeus, eyes, the femurs and elytra. The carapace is decorated with long vertical incisions. The underside displays a stylised beetle-form with a loop at the centre for suspension. Superb quality.

Date: Circa 664-332 BC
Period: Late Period
Condition: Very fine condition, minor encrustation to the surface.

In stock

SKU: AH-1525 Category: Tags: ,

The scarab beetle was an exceedingly popular symbol in the art of Ancient Egypt, thought to represent the sun god, Ra. 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.

To find out more about Ancient Egyptian amulets please see our relevant blog post: Egyptian Amulets and their Meanings.

Weight 1.29 g
Dimensions L 1.4 x W 1.1 x H 0.5 cm
Culture

Region

Stone

Reference: For a similar item,The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, item 76.29.878

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