Scarab (base)

Add to album

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 glazed steatite dates from around 1937 to 1641 BC.

This picture shows the base of the scarab. It has been incised with hieroglyphs.

Egyptian hieroglyphs were pictures representing objects or sounds. They were sacred symbols, and closely linked to religion. Complicated and difficult to write, different scripts were developed over time for legal and administrative writing and for daily use.

Record details

To search on related items, click any underlined text below.

• Online ID: 000-190-002-012-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  A.1956.57
• Date: Middle Kingdom, 12th - 13th Dynasty
  Middle Kingdom: 12th or 13th Dynasty (around 1937 to 1641 BC)
  
• Material: Scarab
  
• Dimensions: 0.63" L
  
• What: Scarab
  
• Subject: Scarabs
  
• Who:
• Where: Ancient Egypt
  
• Event:
• Description: Scarab in green-blue glazed steatite, with hieroglyphs incised on the oval base: Ancient Egyptian, Middle Kingdom, 12th - 13th Dynasty
  
• References:
• Translations:
• Related Records: