Egyptian Scarab dedicated to Amun-Ra

$246.42

A steatite Egyptian scarab beetle amulet with incised features such as clypeus, prothorax and elytra marked by single lines. The reverse is decorated with incised hieroglyphs, making a dedication to the god Amun, who is represented by the barque symbol. Other signs depicted include the heart and windpipe hieroglyph (𓄤– nfr, nefer) and scarab sign (ḫpr, kheper).

Date: Circa 1070 – 323 BC
Period: Third Intermediate Period – Late Period
Provenance: From the Gustave Mustaki collection, a collector of antiquities who amassed a large collection in Alexandria (Egypt).
Condition: Very fine. Some slight damage to bottom of the scarab. Pierced for suspension.

SOLD

SKU: AH-773 Category: Tags: ,

This particular scarab has been dedicated to the god Amun-Ra. The god is represented by the barque symbol to the top and the two sun-disks on either side. The ‘nfr’ sign can be translated as good, perfect or blessed and such associated words. The scarab would translate as ‘being’ or ‘form’. Thus the entire phrasing would translate as ‘Blessed is the form of Amun-Ra’. Scarabs such as this, asking for protection from a specific god were popular in the late New Kingdom Period and Third Intermediate Period.

The Egyptian god, Amun-Ra, was a highly important deity in the Egyptian pantheon. Originally, he was worshipped as two gods, the creator of the universe, Amun, and the sun-god, Ra. He gains national importance after the defeat of the Hyksos at Thebes in the 16th century and it is from this date we see a combination of the two gods. As his position grew, Amun-Ra’s worship was almost monotheistic in nature, with the other gods considered manifestations of him. So great was his influence that he was identified with the Greek god Zeus from the Ptolemaic period, to form Zeus Ammon. Alexander the Great claimed divine descent as the son of Amun.

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

Weight 1.2 g
Dimensions L 1.5 cm
Country

Culture

Egyptian Mythology

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Region

Stone