Hyksos Period Egyptian Scarab Ring

$347.52

A Hyksos period scarab, pierced longitudinally and set within a bronze frame. The topside of the scarab has been carefully smoothed by the craftsman, with the traditional facial and side features incised into the stone. The reverse of the scarab is inscribed with geometric patterns, rather than hieroglyphics. The particular pattern seen here is known as the ‘coiled cord’ pattern. Although such designs may have been purely decorative, they may have possessed a magical or protective association, which is why they appear so frequently on scarabs.

Internal Diameter: 190mm. UK Ring Size: I.

Date: 1650 - 1550 BC
Period: Fifteenth Dynasty
Condition: Fine condition.

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SKU: AH-88 Category: Tag:

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 dessert mirrored the journey of the sun god, Ra, across the sky from day to night. As the beetle laid its eggs within the dung, it became a symbol of rebirth and regeneration. Accordingly, the sun god Ra was often depicted as a scarab beetle, or as a man with a scarab head, and the insect was believed to be lucky and protective.

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, though 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.

Weight 5.0 g
Dimensions L 2.4 x W 2.7 x H 0.8 cm
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Reference: The Met Museum Accession Number: 34.126.9. The Scarab: A Reflection of Ancient Egypt by Daphna Ben-Tor, pg 66, item 11.