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Egyptian Antiquities :
Egyptian Scarab Rings : Egyptian Steatite Scarab
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Egyptian Steatite Scarab - FJ.2679A
Origin: Israel
Circa: 1600
BC
to 1100
BC
Collection: Egyptian Antiquities
Medium: Steatite and Gold
Additional Information: This Scarab is mounted in an 18 Karat gold ring.
$3,700.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
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)
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