Egyptian Steatite Scarab with Hieroglyphs

$208.51

A steatite Egyptian scarab beetle amulet with incisedfeatures such as clypeus, prothorax and elytra marked by single lines. The reverse features various incised hieroglyphs, however these have been crudely rendered, making them nearly impossible to distinguish. Two clearer signs include the water jar hieroglyph (ḥs, hes) and a round sun-disk (r’, ra/re). The water jar translating as praise, whilst the sun-disk represented Ra. Thus, the scarab could be a dedication to the sun god Ra.

The scarab is pierced longitudinally for suspension.

Date: Circa 1550 - 1070 BC
Period: New Kingdom Period
Provenance: From the Gustave Mustaki collection, a collector of antiquities who amassed a large collection in Alexandria (Egypt).
Condition: Fine condition.

SOLD

SKU: AH-799 Category: Tags: ,

The ancient Egyptians believed the Scarabeus Beetle was able to regenerate itself spontaneously from cow dung, which these beetles could be observed rolling into small balls and burying. Consequently, the scarab came to symbolise a spontaneous continuation of the life cycle. The Egyptians regarded the scarab as an embodiment of the creator god, who was accordingly self-engendered.

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

 

Weight 1.3 g
Dimensions L 1.4 cm
Country

Culture

Egyptian Mythology

Region

Stone