Scarab (base)

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A scarab is an ancient Egyptian amulet in the form of a dung beetle, symbolic of regeneration. As time went on, scarabs developed into use as personal seals. This example of faded glazed steatite dates from around 1539 to 1295 BC.

This picture shows the back of the scarab. It has been inscribed with eight lines of hieroglyphs commemorating the lion hunts of Amenhotep III, ruler around 1382 to 1344.

During the reign of Amenhotep III, a group of scarabs were made recording his great hunting prowess. Lines 1 to 4 state the five names of the king, line 5 the name of the queen, and lines 6 to 8 record the total number of 102 lions hunted in a ten year period.

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• Online ID: 000-190-002-013-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  A.1960.572
• Date: New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty
  New Kingdom: 18th Dynasty, reign of Amenhotep III (around 1382 to 134
  
• Material: Scarab
  
• Dimensions: 84 mm L
  
• What: Scarab
  
• Subject: Scarabs
  
• Who: Amenhotep III
  Nash Collection
  
• Where: Ancient Egypt
  
• Event:
• Description: Scarab, faded glazed steatite, incised on base with the lion-hunt text of Amenhotep III: Ancient Egyptian, New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty
  
• References:
  • Blankenberg-van Delden, C. The large commemorative scarabs of Amenhotep III. Leiden: Brill, 1969, p 72 (C.22) 
• Translations:
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