Egyptian Steatite Hyksos Period Scarab

$246.28

A fine Egyptian steatite scarab, from the Hyksos Period, with incised features such as clypeus, prothorax and elytra marked by single lines. The reverse features an intricate intertwining cord design, forming a shape similar to a figure of 8.  The scarab has been pierced longitudinally for suspension, which is now blocked.

Date: Circa 1650–1550 BC
Period: Hyksos Period, 15th Dynasty
Provenance: From the Gustave Mustaki collection, a collector of antiquities who amassed a large collection in Alexandria (Egypt).
Condition: Very good condition. Minor chip to the side.

SOLD

SKU: CS-215 Category: Tags: ,

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.

The term ‘Hyksos’ can be traced back to the Egyptian expression ‘heka khasewet’, which means, “rulers of foreign lands”. The Hyksos of the fifteenth Dynasty of Egypt, ruling during the Second Intermediate Period, were thus of non-Egyptian origin. They were probably Canaanite, and one tends to find the names of rulers on their scarabs. The Hyksos Kingdom was centred in the eastern Nile Delta and Middle Egypt. It was limited in size, never extending south into Upper Egypt, and it had Memphis as its capital.

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

Weight 5.17 g
Dimensions L 2.2 x W 1.6 cm
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