Material: Steatite
Size: 2 cm
Period: New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty
provenance: Paul S. Forbes collection
acquired 1970’s - 1980’s.
Price € 275,—
Ancient Egyptian Scarab
Steatite scarab amulet of typical oval form with a flat, inscribed base. The underside is carved in sunk relief with a triadic divine composition: the god Amun stands centrally, identifiable by his tall double-plumed crown, flanked symmetrically by two falcon-headed deities. These falcon-headed figures represent solar and lunar aspects, most plausibly manifestations of Ra (sun) and a lunar falcon deity forming a balanced cosmological grouping.
The composition emphasizes divine sovereignty and cosmic order. Amun, as supreme state god during much of the New Kingdom and later periods, is shown presiding between celestial powers, symbolizing dominion over both the solar and lunar cycles. The pairing of sun and moon reinforces themes of cyclical renewal, eternity, and universal harmony (ma’at).
Carved from steatite and originally likely glazed, the scarab exhibits surface wear and minor abrasions consistent with age. Such pieces functioned as protective amulets, invoking the authority and safeguarding power of major deities, and may also have served as personal seals