This ancient gem is set in a ring of 18 karat gold. Perhaps no single object better embodies the mystery and magic of ancient Egypt than the scarab. Representing the sacred  More »

This ancient gem is set in a ring of 18 karat gold. Perhaps no single object better embodies the mystery and magic of ancient Egypt than the scarab. Representing the sacred desert beetle, scarabs were used by king and commoner alike as amulets of good fortune and prosperity. Certain scarabs also functioned as personal seals which designated the property and authority of the person whose name appears on them. An emblem of Kephera, the creator, the scarab was worshiped from the earliest period of civilization in Egypt. In addition to its aura of luck, the scarab represented eternal life and resurrection. The ancient Egyptians frequently wore the scarab as jewelry, especially in rings, bracelets and necklaces. This splendid example is carved in amethyst, a gem much favored by the nobility. Its pale lavender color evokes dawn in the Egyptian desert. To wear a scarab today is to link us with Egypt at the height of her grandeur. It also invites the accumulated good fortune of centuries to smile upon us, as it did upon its ancient owner. - (FJ.4857)   « Less

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  More »

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. By far the most important amulet in ancient Egypt was the scarab, symbolically as sacred to the Egyptians as the cross is to Christians. Based upon the dung beetle, this sacred creature forms a ball of dung around its semen and rolls it in a large ball over the sand dropping it into its burrow. The female lays her eggs on the ground and covers them with the excrement ball that is consumed by the larvae that emerge in the following days as if miraculously reborn. In the life cycle of the beetle, the Ancient Egyptians envisioned a microcosm of the daily rebirth of the sun. They imagined the ancient sun god Khepri was a great scarab beetle rolling the sun across the heavens. The scarab also became a symbol of the enduring human soul as well, hence its frequent appearance in funerary art. The depiction of a man, probably a king, kneeling before an erect cobra covers the under side of this ancient scarab. The king wears a short wig and a knee length pleated kilt, while the cobra's hood is decorated with incised lines. The cobra, or uraeus, represents uto, the protective goddess of Lower Egypt. Portrayed in an angry posture, this female cobra would sit poised on the brow of the pharaoh's headdress, protecting him against his enemies. Should an adversary get close, venomous poison would spew from her mouth. Powerful imagery on this scarab evidences exciting elements of ancient Egyptian dynastic culture. It is truly a civilization whose magic spell reaches across the millennia, captivating us with all its complexities. - (FJ.5115)   « Less

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  More »

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. By far the most important amulet in ancient Egypt was the scarab, symbolically as sacred to the Egyptians as the cross is to Christians. Based upon the dung beetle, this sacred creature forms a ball of dung around its semen and rolls it in a large ball over the sand dropping it into its burrow. The female lays her eggs on the ground and covers them with the excrement ball that is consumed by the larvae that emerge in the following days as if miraculously reborn. In the life cycle of the beetle, the Ancient Egyptians envisioned a microcosm of the daily rebirth of the sun. They imagined the ancient sun god Khepri was a great scarab beetle rolling the sun across the heavens. The scarab also became a symbol of the enduring human soul as well, hence its frequent appearance in funerary art. A regal lion is the focal point of this handsome scarab. Assertively striding forward, with bushy mane and tail held high, this carved lion refits his role as the ancient Egyptian symbol of power. Egyptian kings were closely associated with lions; Amenhotep II and Amenhotep III were especially known for their lion hunts. Lions appeared in Egyptian mythology in many guises. Two lions were represented as the pierce guardians of the two horizons and according to one creation legend, the two first gods to came from the solar beginnings were in the form of a pair of lion cubs, swift and devouring like a flame, burning like the eye of the sun, the king of beasts--the lion was a most powerful symbol to the ancient Egyptians. Though the majestic animals no longer roam along the fringes of the Egyptian desert, their ancient spirits continue to captivate us, evoking imaginative scenes of Pharonic splendor. - (FJ.5118)   « Less

This genuine ancient scarab seal was found in Israel and has been mounted in a gold ring dating from the 1930's that imitates the style of New Kingdom jewelry. The scarab  More »

This genuine ancient scarab seal was found in Israel and has been mounted in a gold ring dating from the 1930's that imitates the style of New Kingdom jewelry. The scarab beetle of ancient Egypt is an emblem of the creator Kheper. The word "Kepher" denotes being, existence, creation or becoming. The god Khepera is the self-existent maker of all things. The worship of the scarab, which is symbolic of resurrection and fertility, dates form the earliest period of civilization in Egypt. It was thought that a scarab 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 a personal seal which 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. This scarab is inscribed with a circle design. The design consists of a series of concentric circles. One set is in the middle, while the remaining slightly larger sets form a frame. A pair of lotuses emanates from each side of the center set. The lotus flower symbolized new life. The child sun god Nefertem is depicted seated on a lotus or with a lotus on top of his head. - (S.219)   « Less

The ancient Egyptians maintained that the sun was propelled across the heavens by means of a scarab, or sacred beetle. With the passing of time, the Egyptians created a  More »

The ancient Egyptians maintained that the sun was propelled across the heavens by means of a scarab, or sacred beetle. With the passing of time, the Egyptians created a series of amulets in the form of this beetle in a great variety of materials, and these were routinely provided with inscriptions in hieroglyphs conveniently accommodated to their stylized flat bottoms. Such scarabs were generally incorporated into finger rings, as here, where they served as bezels. Our scarab is just such a variation. The head with its eyes, the plate, and the clypeus are well articulated. The thorax and elytra, or wing case, are articulated by a double, T-shape incision which surrounds each of these two elements as a framing border. The underside of the scarab contains a design framed by a pattern of interlocking motifs. Within is a single column of four hieroglyphs, namely, a djed-pillar, an “inverted” neb-sign, and two side by side nefer-signs. Such an arrangement is commonly encountered on contemporary scarabs. Scarab finger-rings, mounted in settings with swivel bezels, as seen here in our finger ring, are attested from the time of the Middle Kingdom and become particularly popular in the New Kingdom. References: For a discussion of these designs, see, Daphna Ben-Tor, The Scarab. A Reflection of Ancient Egypt (Jerusalem 1993, page 31; and Carol Andrews, Ancient Egyptian Jewelelry (London 1990), page 164, for a discussion of these finger rings. Translation and interpretation kindly provided by Prof. Robert S. Bianchi - (LO.1144)   « Less

The ancient Egyptians maintained that the sun was propelled across the heavens by means of a scarab, or sacred beetle. With the passing of time, the Egyptians created a  More »

The ancient Egyptians maintained that the sun was propelled across the heavens by means of a scarab, or sacred beetle. With the passing of time, the Egyptians created a series of amulets in the form of this beetle in a great variety of materials, and these were routinely provided with inscriptions in hieroglyphs conveniently accommodated to their stylized flat bottoms. Such scarabs were generally incorporated into finger rings, as here, where they served as bezels. Our scarab is just such a variation with a remarkable degree of ornamentation on its upper side. The head with its eyes, the plate, and the clypeus are well articulated as are the thorax and elytra, or wing case, which are articulated with a double T-shaped set of incisions. The thorax is additionally ornamented with two curls, asymmetrically designed. The bottom of our scarab is ornamented with a complex, interlocking pattern of coiled cords, dotted in the center. Although such patterns are a common decorative element on scarabs of the period, scholars have yet to convincingly identify their meaning. Nevertheless, such motifs, which may have originally been imbued with magical properties, were first introduced in the Middle Kingdom and were repeatedly encountered on scarabs of later periods. The curl design on the thorax is likewise attested during the period to which our scarab is assigned. Scarab finger-rings, mounted in settings with swivel bezels, as seen here in our finger ring, are attested from the time of the Middle Kingdom and become particularly popular in the New Kingdom. References: For a discussion of these designs, see, Daphna Ben-Tor, The Scarab. A Reflection of Ancient Egypt (Jerusalem 1993, page 31; and Carol Andrews, Ancient Egyptian Jewellery (London 1990), page 164, for a discussion of these finger rings. Translation and interpretation kindly provided by Prof Robert S. Bianchi. - (LO.1142)   « Less

The ancient Egyptians maintained that the sun was propelled across the heavens by means of a scarab, or sacred beetle. With the passing of time, the Egyptians created a  More »

The ancient Egyptians maintained that the sun was propelled across the heavens by means of a scarab, or sacred beetle. With the passing of time, the Egyptians created a series of amulets in the form of this beetle in a great variety of materials, and these were routinely provided with inscriptions in hieroglyphs conveniently accommodated to their stylized flat bottoms. Such scarabs were generally incorporated into finger rings, as here, where they served as bezels. Our scarab is just such a variation with a remarkable degree of ornamentation on its upper side. The head with its eyes, the plate, and the clypeus are well articulated. Although the thorax and elytra, or wing case, which are simply indicated by a single, V-shaped notch on each side of the beetle’s body, the elytra is itself ornamented with an asymmetrically designed, double cruciform element over which a series of dotted concentric circles in two groups of four at the top and bottom have been superimposed. Although such patterns are a common decorative element on scarabs of the period, scholars have yet to convincingly identify their meaning. Nevertheless, such motifs, which may have originally been imbued with magical properties, were first introduced in the Middle Kingdom and were repeatedly encountered on scarabs of later periods. The curl design on the elytra is likewise attested during the period to which our scarab is assigned. Scarab finger-rings, mounted in settings with swivel bezels, as seen here in our finger ring, are attested from the time of the Middle Kingdom and become particularly popular in the New Kingdom. References: For a discussion of these designs, see, Daphna Ben-Tor, The Scarab. A Reflection of Ancient Egypt (Jerusalem 1993, page 31; and Carol Andrews, Ancient Egyptian Jewellery (London 1990), page 164, for a discussion of these finger rings. Translation and interpretation kindly provided by Prof. Robert S. Bianchi. - (LO.1143)   « Less

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  More »

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. By far the most important amulet in ancient Egypt was the scarab, symbolically as sacred to the Egyptians as the cross is to Christians. Based upon the dung beetle, this sacred creature forms a ball of dung around its semen and rolls it in a large ball over the sand dropping it into its burrow. The female lays her eggs on the ground and covers them with the excrement ball that is consumed by the larvae that emerge in the following days as if miraculously reborn. In the life cycle of the beetle, the Ancient Egyptians envisioned a microcosm of the daily rebirth of the sun. They imagined the ancient sun god Khepri was a great scarab beetle rolling the sun across the heavens. The scarab also became a symbol of the enduring human soul as well, hence its frequent appearance in funerary art. - (FJ.5115A)   « Less

Egyptian Scarab in an 18 Karat Gold Ring - FJ.5115B Origin: Israel Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: Scarab Ring Medium: Steatite+Gold

Egyptian Scarab in an 18 Karat Gold Ring - FJ.5115B Origin: Israel Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: Scarab Ring Medium: Steatite+Gold   « Less

By far the most important amulet in ancient Egypt was the scarab, symbolically as sacred to the Egyptians as the cross is to Christians. Based upon the dung beetle, this  More »

By far the most important amulet in ancient Egypt was the scarab, symbolically as sacred to the Egyptians as the cross is to Christians. Based upon the dung beetle, this sacred creature forms a ball of dung around its semen and rolls it in a large ball over the sand dropping it into its burrow. The female lays her eggs on the ground and covers them with the excrement ball that is consumed by the larvae that emerge in the following days as if miraculously reborn. In the life cycle of the beetle, the Ancient Egyptians envisioned a microcosm of the daily rebirth of the sun. They imagined the ancient sun god Khepri was a great scarab beetle rolling the sun across the heavens. The scarab also became a symbol of the enduring human soul as well, hence its frequent appearance in funerary art. Scarabs of various materials form an important class of Egyptian antiquities. Though they first appeared in the late Old Kingdom (roughly 2575–2130 B.C.), scarabs remained rare until Middle Kingdom times (circa 1938-1600 B.C.) when they were fashioned in great numbers. While some were used as ornaments, others were purely amuletic in purpose. The seal type of scarab was, however, the most common, and many clay seals have been found attesting to this use. However, this gorgeous scarab bears no inscription on its base. Therefore it was most likely an amulet. Perhaps the owner would have carried it around in order to secure protection from evil forces. Perhaps the object was simply a decorative ornament for we can easily appreciate its tremendous beauty and the expertise of its workmanship. Overall, the scarab is a potent symbol for the glories of Ancient Egypt as a whole. In our hands, we hold a tangible reminder of the mythology, religion, and funeral rites of this civilization that continue to fascinate mankind even today. - (FJ.2679A)   « Less