Origin: Egypt
Circa: 1650 BC to 1085 BC
Catalogue: V1
Collection: Egyptian
Style: New Kingdom
Medium: Steatite
The sacred beetle of ancient Egypt, the scarab is an emblem of the creator, Khepera. The word kepher denotes Being, Existence, Creation, or Becoming, and the god Kephera is the self-existent maker of all things. The worship of the scarab, which is symbolic of resurrection and fertility, dates from the earliest period of civilization in Egypt. Carved scarabs served two major functions: as amulets with protective and religious powers, and as personal seals, which designated the property and authority of the individual whose name was placed upon them. In both cases, the power ascribed to the scarab was very great—in life they served as the signature of their owner and were thought to bring prosperity, and in the afterlife they ensured rebirth through eternity.
Inscribed with an offering formula surrounded by a scroll design. The text of the offering formula reads “An offering which the King gives to the spirit of Shed to Osiris at the house of-- (the last word is not quite legible). The scarab was probably placed in a tomb, since it contains a formula for mortuary offerings. - (S.018)

Antiquities
Ancient Egyptian