Origin: jericho Circa: 1300 BC to 900 BC Dimensions: 0.750" (1.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Scarab Medium: Steatite Egyptian Scarab - LO.1131

Origin: jericho Circa: 1300 BC to 900 BC Dimensions: 0.750" (1.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Scarab Medium: Steatite Egyptian Scarab - LO.1131   « Less

Origin: Egypt Dimensions: 0.625" (1.6cm) wide Collection: Egyptian antiquities Style: Dyn. XIII- 2nd Intermediate period In keeping with the Egyptian design tenets of the  More »

Origin: Egypt Dimensions: 0.625" (1.6cm) wide Collection: Egyptian antiquities Style: Dyn. XIII- 2nd Intermediate period In keeping with the Egyptian design tenets of the period for the creation of scarabs, there is no division between the thorax and wing case, although there is a great deal of articulation in the head so that its eyes, clypeus, and plate are distinguishable. The base of the scarab contains an interesting motto and this is framed by a spiraling pattern of three interlocking scrolls on each of the vertical sides connected to each other at the top and bottom by the same continuous line. Within this border is a cartouche, or royal ring, introduced by two hieroglyphs, that for a bolt of cloth, depicted in reverse orientation, and that of a kneeling male figure with one arm raised in adoration. The cartouche itself contains four neatly spaced hieroglyphs, ostensibly spelling a pharaoh’s name, but one that is not attested in known king’s lists. Consequently, one can assigned our scarab to the period between the late Middle Kingdom and the Second Intermediate Period. It must be considered a product of an ancient Egyptian atelier, but one that is exceptional and, at present, without known parallels. - (LO.1137)   « Less

Circa: 1640 BC to 1500 BC Dimensions: 0.750" (1.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian antiquities Style: Middle Bronze Age IIB The ancient Egyptians maintained that the sun was  More »

Circa: 1640 BC to 1500 BC Dimensions: 0.750" (1.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian antiquities Style: Middle Bronze Age IIB 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. So popular was the scarab that it became the one amulet associated with Egypt by all of her neighbors, and local variations were created in imitation of the Egyptian model. Our scarab is just such a variation. The artist has differentiated the component elements of the beetle’s head to include both the plate and clypeus. The thorax is separated from the elytra, or wing case, by a double T-shaped incision and the elytra itself is ornamented with a feather-like pattern. Its bottom surface depicts a symmetrical composition flanked at the top and bottom by a bird with wings outstretched in a typical Egyptian gesture of protection. The schematic design of this bird precludes its precise ornithological identification, but it is assuredly intended to be identified as a sky deity, either the goddess Mut depicted as a vulture or the god Horus depicted as a falcon. Two royal ovals, containing three identical hieroglyphs, fill the middle field. These signs represent a Canaanite attempt at imitating ancient Egyptian writing, but because they are imitations, they cannot be translated.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1550 BC to 1070 BC Dimensions: 0.825" (2.1cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: New Kingdom The modeling of our scarab is restrained with  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1550 BC to 1070 BC Dimensions: 0.825" (2.1cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: New Kingdom The modeling of our scarab is restrained with the salient features of the beetle stylized and rendered as elegant, abstract forms. The eyes are clearly defined at the corners of the triangularly-shaped head which merges in an almost hour-glass configuration with the clypeus over the plate. The legs are suggested by a feathered-pattern, whereas the thorax and elytra are not differentiated. The latter is, however, simply ornamented with one short, horizontal tick on either side. Such ornamentation of the elytra appears in scarabs assigned to the Middle Kingdom but continues in use through the New Kingdom. The principle motif on the bottom takes the form of a feline, perhaps to be identified as a lion, moving to the right with its tail curled back into the field above its spine. There is a single, trident-shaped floral form in the field between its tail and hind leg. This image is deeply-set and characterized by a large, circular eye.Images of felines, identified as lions, are frequent decorative motifs on the bases of scarabs, and several within this known corpus are accompanied, as is our example, with one or more floral elements. These are generally assigned to the New Kingdom. The presence of a floral motif on our example in addition to the apparent absence of a full mane would suggest that our image was intended to represent a goddess in her leonine manifestation. One can, therefore, tentatively suggest that our image evokes Sakhmet, goddess of Memphis who was associated with ancient Egyptian medical practices.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Dimensions: 0.750" (1.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian antiquities Style: New Kingdom, Dyn. XIX The ancient Egyptians maintained that the sun was propelled  More »

Origin: Egypt Dimensions: 0.750" (1.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian antiquities Style: New Kingdom, Dyn. XIX 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. This amulet in the form of a scarab is one of several Egyptian variations on the theme. Although its forms are stylized, the artist has, nevertheless, carefully articulated the head, the plate, and the clypeus and has used a series of T-shaped incisions to define the thorax and its separation from the elytra, or wing case. The principal motif of the bottom of our scarab is a recumbant crio-, or ram-headed sphinx, facing right, whose body aligns with the curvature of one side of the scarab. His headdress consists of two tall ostrich plumes flanked on either side by a uraeus, or sacred cobra. This image is readily identified as a manifestation of the state god Amun, who was worshipped at Thebes and whose ram form is well-documented. He is preceded by a uraeus and what appears to be a jackal which serve as his emissary genii. He is likewise defended at the rear by a serpent who deploys his wings in the traditional Egyptian gesture of protection.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Dimensions: 0.750" (1.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian antiquities Style: Second Intermediate Period The ancient Egyptians maintained that the sun was  More »

Origin: Egypt Dimensions: 0.750" (1.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian antiquities Style: Second Intermediate Period 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. So popular was the scarab that it became the one amulet associated with Egypt by all of her neighbors, and local variations were created in imitation of the Egyptian model. Our scarab is just such a variation. Its head together with its eyes and its plate and clypeus are well-articulated. Its thorax and elytra, or wing case, are treated as a single unit, unusually decorated with a raised, reticulated pattern of lozenges formed by the intersection of diagonally incised lines. A single, large male figure, to the right, fills the field on the scarab’s flat bottom. He is depicted wearing a belted kilt and his hair is closely cropped. One arm is held along the side of his body while the other is bent at the elbow and raised in the air with its hand holding a floral attribute, perhaps to be identified as a papyrus stem. The field to the left is occupied by a second floral element whereas a vessel over a uraeus, or sacred cobra, fills the field in front of the figure’s legs. A stylized sign, perhaps to be understood as the nefer-sign, is found in the space between his two legs.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Dimensions: 0.750" (1.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian antiquities Style: Middle Kingdom The ancient Egyptians maintained that the sun was propelled across  More »

Origin: Egypt Dimensions: 0.750" (1.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian antiquities Style: Middle Kingdom 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. This amulet in the form of a scarab is one of several Egyptian variations on the theme. Its head, plate, and clypeus are well defined, but the separation of the thorax from the elytra, or wing case, is only indicated by a triangular notch on either side of the body. The bottom of our scarab is decorated with a series of hieroglyphs approximately arranged in two registers. At the top, a single ankh-sign occupies the center and this is flanked to the left and right by a uraeus, or sacred cobra, beneath each of which is a single neb-sign. At the bottom, corresponding to the position of the ankh-sign, is a kheper-beetle over the hieroglyph for the letter “r”, and these two are flanked to the left and right by a single ankh-sign. Such scarabs are traditionally assigned to the Middle Kingdom. Interpretation kindly provided by Prof. Robert S. Bianchi. - (LO.1140)   « Less

Origin: Hebron Circa: 1300 BC to 900 BC Dimensions: 0.750" (1.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Scarab Medium: Steatite The sacred beetle of ancient Egypt, the  More »

Origin: Hebron Circa: 1300 BC to 900 BC Dimensions: 0.750" (1.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Scarab 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. - (LO.1139)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Dimensions: 0.750" (1.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian antiquities Style: Middle Kingdom- 2nd Intermediate The ancient Egyptians maintained that the sun was  More »

Origin: Egypt Dimensions: 0.750" (1.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian antiquities Style: Middle Kingdom- 2nd Intermediate 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. This amulet in the form of a scarab is one of several Egyptian variations on the theme. Its head, plate, and clypeus are well defined, but the separation of the thorax from the elytra, or wing case, is only indicated by a triangular notch on either side of the body. The bottom of our scarab is decorated with ornamental patterns framed by a guilloche, or braided ornament, which frames the entire composition. Within at the top and bottom are virtually identically designed ornament consisting of intertwined patterns, in between which is a four-circled braid. Such geometric designs characterize Egyptian scarabs created in the period from the Middle Kingdom to the Second Intermediate Period, but the significance of such ornamentation has not yet been convincingly explained. References: For contemporary examples and a discussion of the ornament, see, Daphna Ben-Tor, The Scarab. A Reflection of Ancient Egypt (Jerusalem 1993), page 31. Interpretation kindly provided by Prof. Robert S. Bianchi. - (LO.1138)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1300 BC to 800 BC Dimensions: 0.625" (1.6cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Art Style: Scarab Medium: Steatite The sacred beetle of ancient Egypt, the  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1300 BC to 800 BC Dimensions: 0.625" (1.6cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Art Style: Scarab 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. - (LO.1147)   « Less