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Source Description
This steatite scarab is inscribed on the flat underside in sunk relief. The vertically arranged column writing is a request to ensure the social status of a member of an elite group. The design of the back of the scarab is very detailed, with deeply incised lines and slightly irregular line flow. The piece is simply made and its workmanship is slightly rough. This scarab functioned as a status specific amulet with a blessing for a member of the elite. The amulet should express/secure that the owner is notable, prestigious, and well equipped in the royal court/palace. The piece would have originally been mounted or threaded. The term "Golden Horus" as the name of a god does not appear before the Ptolemaic period, and it is very unlikely that this scarab dates from that period or that this deity would have been mentioned so early.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
28819
label
Scarab with Wish Formula
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
7
Source metadata
id
28819
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Scarab with Wish Formula
description
This steatite scarab is inscribed on the flat underside in sunk relief. The vertically arranged column writing is a request to ensure the social status of a member of an elite group. The design of the back of the scarab is very detailed, with deeply incised lines and slightly irregular line flow. The piece is simply made and its workmanship is slightly rough. This scarab functioned as a status specific amulet with a blessing for a member of the elite. The amulet should express/secure that the owner is notable, prestigious, and well equipped in the royal court/palace. The piece would have originally been mounted or threaded. The term "Golden Horus" as the name of a god does not appear before the Ptolemaic period, and it is very unlikely that this scarab dates from that period or that this deity would have been mentioned so early.
provenance
Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1911 (?) [mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
ca. 1070-736 BCE (Third Intermediate Period)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Precious Stones & Gems
scarabs
amulets
imageCount
7
pageCount
7
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
0.7
height
1.1
depth
1.5
dimensionsRaw
H: 1/4 x W: 7/16 x L: 9/16 in. (0.7 x 1.1 x 1.5 cm)
Source extras
cul
Egyptian
inscriptions
[Translation] May the noble be in the palace of the Golden Horus.
dynasty
21st-22nd Dynasty
med
steatite, light beige with glaze, originally blue or green (?)
creator_ids
6182
collection_ids
EGY
exhibition_ids
none
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
39a3089cfd60ee0e
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
5668ea8e2bfe758e
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
3
type
photo
mediaId
a98194fdac0195de
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
4
type
photo
mediaId
18067ce013ee8df5
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
5
type
photo
mediaId
9f41dc2919a0690f
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
6
type
photo
mediaId
c9d4490b8536ea4e
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
7
type
photo
mediaId
a7b4ee12b7185651
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no