Scarab (front)

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 made of black steatite dates from around 1295 to 1186 BC.

The scarab is a particular type called a heart scarab. It has a naturalistically carved beetle on a plate-like extension forming a broad collar of two rows and a lowermost row of drop-beads. The terminals were probably hawk-heads, but these have broken away.

Heart scarabs were amulets, placed in the bandages of mummies. They were symbolic of the heart of the dead person. Most were carved with a chapter of the Book of the Dead on the base.

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