Object Description
An ancient Egyptian, steatite scarab with incised hieroglyphs to the reverse. The obverse features a moulded head and clypeus, with slight indentations at the side to represent the humeral callosities. The sides of the scarab are deeply carved with scalloped edges to represent the feathered legs of the insect. The reverse features various inscribed hieroglyphs, arranged in three, slightly curved, columns, with the signs on either side being identical. In the centre there is a ‘kheper’, with the heart and windpipe hieroglyph ‘nfr’ beneath. To the top is the broad collar sign ‘nwb’, meaning ‘gold’. The flanking columns feature a large ‘nfr’ sign and ‘ankh’. The scarab is pierced longitudinally for suspension.
Date: Circa 1750 – 1550 BC
Period: Second Intermediate Period