Scarab amulet
About This Item
Funerary amulets and ornaments in the shape of scarabs are often found on mummies. While most amulets are small, some scarab amulets could be up to ten inches wide. This scarab (measuring over five and a half inches) was found with an individual named Nespaperennub, a priest who worked at the religious complex of Karnak in Thebes (modern-day Luxor).
- Date
- Unknown (scarab amulets date from c. 2124 BCE–664 BCE)
- Geography
- Thebes, Egypt
- Medium
- faience
- Provenance
- Purchased by Adolph Sutro in 1884 in Thebes, Egypt
- Context
- Scarab amulets were used by both the living and the deceased for healing and protection. Movies often portray scarabs as flesh-eating insects. In fact, the sacred scarab beetle (Kheper aegyptiorum) eats dung! Ancient Egyptians observed these scarabs rolling balls of dung to lay their eggs in and viewed this practice as symbolic of rebirth and the afterlife.
- Height
- 2.5 in
- Width
- 5.75 in
- Depth
- 0.5 in
- Copyright
- Copyright status unknown. Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing, and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
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