Egyptian Steatite Scarab with a Wish to Have Children

£ 400.00

A finely carved Egyptian steatite scarab, with a detailed obverse, incised to depict the detailed clypeus and head, whilst single inscribed lines have been used to depict the prothorax and elytra. The reverse is decorated with a number of hieroglyphs, of a well-known formula and blessing. The blessing reads as ‘mn rn k ḫpr mswt k’, which translates as ‘May your name endure, and may you be blessed with children’. As is clear from the formula, this particular type of scarab was not associated with the dead or with the afterlife, but instead reflected the wishes of the living. The Egyptians believed wholeheartedly in the power of the spoken and written word, and it was believed that expressing such blessings would result in the desired end result.

The scarab has been pierced longitudinally for suspension.

Date: Circa 1550-664 BC
Period: New Kingdom - Third Intermediate Period
Provenance: Ex private UK collection, Mr. DP, formerly acquired from a London ADA dealership, from 2004-2012.
Condition: Fine, slight wear to the base along with a minor chip. Some blue glaze and earthly encrustations to the surface.

SOLD

SKU: CF-22 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. These scarab beetle amulets were made in various forms, such as heart scarabs, commemorative scarabs, and scarab amulets, thus catering to different functions. Scarab amulets were believed to have magical rejuvenating properties, used by both the living and the dead. Scarabs bearing wishes and blessings related to divinities or with specific wishes were particularly popular during the late New Kingdom and the Third Intermediate Period.

Weight 2.59 g
Dimensions L 1.8 x W 1.3 x H 0.8 cm
Culture

Region

Stone

Reference: For a similar item, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, item 03.5.32

You may also like…