Origin: Egypt Circa: 1300 BC to 900 BC Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Scarab Medium: Faience By far the most important amulet in ancient Egypt was the scarab,  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1300 BC to 900 BC Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Scarab Medium: Faience 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. - (OS.029 )   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1300 BC to 900 BC Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Scarab Medium: Faience By far the most important amulet in ancient Egypt was the scarab,  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1300 BC to 900 BC Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Scarab Medium: Faience 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. - (OS.030 )   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1300 BC to 900 BC Dimensions: 1.1" (2.8cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Art Style: Scarab Medium: Steatite By far the most important amulet in ancient  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1300 BC to 900 BC Dimensions: 1.1" (2.8cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Art Style: Scarab Medium: Steatite 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. - (OS.033 )   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 600 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 1.75 " (4.4cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Art Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Jasper By far the most important  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 600 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 1.75 " (4.4cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Art Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Jasper 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. - (OS.034 )   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 600 BC to 300 BC Dimensions: 1" (2.5cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Art Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Faience By far the most important amulet  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 600 BC to 300 BC Dimensions: 1" (2.5cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Art Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Faience 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. - (OS.035 )   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1300 BC to 900 BC Collection: Egyptian Art Additional Information: Width .9 By far the most important amulet in ancient Egypt was the scarab,  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1300 BC to 900 BC Collection: Egyptian Art Additional Information: Width .9 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. - (OS.036 )   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: .125" (0.3cm) high x .25" (0.6cm) wide x .3" (0.8cm) depth Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Late  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: .125" (0.3cm) high x .25" (0.6cm) wide x .3" (0.8cm) depth Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Late Dynastic/Ptolemaic Period Medium: Faience 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. - (CK.0234)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: .25" (0.6cm) high x .375" (1.0cm) wide x .5" (1.3cm) depth Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Late  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: .25" (0.6cm) high x .375" (1.0cm) wide x .5" (1.3cm) depth Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Late Dynastic/Ptolemaic Period Medium: Faience 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. - (CK.0236)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 00.2" (0.5cm) high x .375" (1.0cm) wide x .5" (1.3cm) depth Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Late  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 00.2" (0.5cm) high x .375" (1.0cm) wide x .5" (1.3cm) depth Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Late Dynastic/Ptolemaic Period Medium: Faience 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. - (CK.0239)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Hyksos Medium: Steatite The sacred beetle of ancient Egypt, the scarab is an emblem of  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Hyksos 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. - (LK.201)   « Less