Origin: Israel
Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC
Collection: Egyptian Scarab Pendants
Medium: Steatite/Gold
Additional Information: SOLD
The scarab beetle of ancient Egypt is an emblem of the creator Kheper. The word "Kheper" denotes being, existence, creation or becoming and the God Khepera 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. It was thought that a sacred beetle rolled the orb of the sun across the sky, and a winged scarab was associated with dawn and rebirth. In the ritual of mummification, a scarab replaced the heart. Carved scarabs served two major functions: as amulets with protective and religious powers and as personal seals that designated the property and authority of the individual whose name was placed upon it. In both cases the power ascribed to the scarab was very great. In life it served as the signature of their owner and was thought to bring prosperity and in the afterlife it insured continuous re-birth through eternity. A lovely carved design appears on the under side of this ancient scarab. Down the center is a double incised line twisted into a rope shape. At each corner other incised parallel lines form angles with rounded corners. Single incised lines come to a point at the center of the scarab on each side of the rope pattern. We can only guess at the imaginative thoughts that went through the ancient artist's creative mind as he carved this delicate scarab. However, the spirited energy expressed through this amulet can still be felt today, capturing our imagination and sending it back to a time when the pharaohs ruled a mighty kingdom and scarabs such as this blessed both the king and the farmer alike. - (FJ.3453)

Antiquities
Ancient Jewelry