Scarab

Unknown

ca. 1981–1640 B.C. · Amethyst · Egyptian Art

This scarab was made out of amethyst, a semi-precious stone. Its flat underside is undecorated, which is often the case for scarabs in semi-precious stones. Possibly the shape and material of such scarabs might have been regarded as providing enough magical power without added text or images, though an additional inscribed gold plate might have originally covered the scarab’s base. The scarab beetle’s habit of rolling large dung balls across the ground was associated by the ancient Egyptians with the travel of the sun. They also thought that this beetle self-generated spontaneously, and both aspects made the scarab a potent symbol of creation and regeneration.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1981–1640 B.C.

Medium

Amethyst

Department

Egyptian Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1933