Human-face Scarab with Sphinx and Hieroglyphs

Unknown

ca. 1295–1070 B.C. · Dark green glazed steatite · Egyptian Art

The underside of this scarab shows a recumbent human-headed sphinx, wearing a nemes-headcloth with a uraeus on the front. The sphinx is a popular motif on scarabs, especially during the New Kingdom and the Late Period, and embodies the pharaoh. Here it holds a seated figure of the goddess Maat in his front paws, while a sun disk is placed above, and below the sphinx the sign of endurance (djed) is flanked by two uraei. On the back, a single line divides the wing cases of the scarab, but a human face with ribbed head band replaces the head and shoulders of the beetle. The earliest examples of human-face scarabs date to the late Middle Kingdom and the Second Intermediate Period (ca. 1850-1550 B.C.) but they are also well attested during the late New Kingdom.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1295–1070 B.C.

Medium

Dark green glazed steatite

Department

Egyptian Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund and Edward S. Harkness Gift, 1922