Vintage Ancient Egyptian Superb Faience Ritual Scarab Amulet. Abydos Shrine Area, Upper Egypt, 17 mm.

VINTAGE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN FAIENCE RITUAL SCARAB AMULET

- ACQUIRED FROM TEMPLE OF ABYDOS COMPLEX, UPPER EGYPT, IN 1955

ABYDOS SHRINE - TEMPLE OF SETI I AREA

* EXACT AGE IS NOT DETERMINED

* IT IS GUARANTEED THAT THIS AMULET IS 67 YEARS OLD OR OLDER

* AUTHENTIC EGYPTIAN. CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY INCLUDED

- IN SUPERB CONDITION, EXCELLENT DETAILS

- INSCRIBED ON THE BACK WITH HIEROGLYPHICS DEDICATION (RITUAL SCRIPT)

Scarabs were popular amulets in ancient Egypt. They survive in large numbers and, through their inscriptions and typology, they are an important source of information for archeologists and historians of the Ancient world. They also represent a significant body of ancient art.

Amulets in the form of scarab beetles had become enormously popular in Ancient Egypt by the early Middle Kingdom (2000BCE) and remained popular for the rest of the Pharaonic period and beyond. During that long period the function of scarabs repeatedly changed. Primarily amulets, they were also inscribed for use as Personal or Administrative Seals or were incorporated into jewelry.

Scarabs were generally either carved from stone or molded from Egyptian faience. Once carved, they would typically be glazed blue or green and then fired.

The most common stone used for scarabs was a form of Steatite, a soft stone which becomes hard when fired (forming enstatite). Hard stone Scarabs were also made and the stones most commonly used were green Jasper, Amethyst and Carnelian.

While the majority of scarabs would originally have been green or blue the colored glazes used have often either become discolored or have been lost, leaving most Steatite Scarabs appearing white, beige or brown.

*ACTUAL PHOTOS AS IT WAS ACQUIRED.
** NOTE: CLOSE UP PHOTOS ARE TO SHOW DETAILS NOT ACTUAL SIZE.

- DIMENSIONS: 17mm LONG, 11mm WIDE, 8mm DEEP. (APPROXIMATELY)

- COLOR: GREENISH BLUE, REDDISH BEIGE, LIGHTGREEN

* HOLED THROUGH

* FREE US SHIPPING.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST