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Source Description

This steatite scarab is inscribed on the bottom in partly sunk relief with the name of Queen Tiye. The top is medium high and is shallowly incised with details of good workmanship. This piece functioned as an individualized amulet, and was originally mounted or threaded. Scarabs with Tiye's name and title are very well known, and have been found in Egypt and abroad. They should secure Tiye's royal status, but also guarantee her royal patronage for a private owner of the amulet. Moreover, it is likely that the Egyptians believed that Tiye had a special relation to the gods, and would function as a mediator. There are many scarabs and plaques with the name of Queen Tiye, and most of them are not personal seals, but supportive amulets given to honorable people in Egypt and abroad. The impressive amount of scarabs with Tiye's name (alone or together with the name of her husband, Amenophis III) demonstrates beside many other monuments the very special role of this queen, and her political and religion importance.

Scholar Source Context

Document identity
localId
7030
label
Scarab with the Name of Queen Tiye
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
6
Source metadata
id
7030
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Scarab with the Name of Queen Tiye
description
This steatite scarab is inscribed on the bottom in partly sunk relief with the name of Queen Tiye. The top is medium high and is shallowly incised with details of good workmanship. This piece functioned as an individualized amulet, and was originally mounted or threaded. Scarabs with Tiye's name and title are very well known, and have been found in Egypt and abroad. They should secure Tiye's royal status, but also guarantee her royal patronage for a private owner of the amulet. Moreover, it is likely that the Egyptians believed that Tiye had a special relation to the gods, and would function as a mediator. There are many scarabs and plaques with the name of Queen Tiye, and most of them are not personal seals, but supportive amulets given to honorable people in Egypt and abroad. The impressive amount of scarabs with Tiye's name (alone or together with the name of her husband, Amenophis III) demonstrates beside many other monuments the very special role of this queen, and her political and religion importance.
provenance
Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1911 (?) [mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
1388-1351 BCE (New Kingdom, Dynasty 18)
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Precious Stones & Gems
scarabs
amulets
imageCount
6
pageCount
6
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
0.7
height
1.2
depth
1.6
dimensionsRaw
H: 1/4 x W: 1/2 x L: 5/8 in. (0.7 x 1.2 x 1.6 cm)
Source extras
cul
Egyptian
inscriptions
[Translation] Name and title of the royal consort Tiye
wife of King Amenhotep III
without a cartouche: The royal wife Tiye.
dynasty
18th Dynasty
reign
Amenophis III (1388-1351/1350 BC)
med
light beige steatite
creator_ids
6182
collection_ids
EGY
exhibition_ids
none
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
1694d82c49b3eec2
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
fdd9d369eaa74eae
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
3
type
photo
mediaId
e74bd88572ae2bac
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
4
type
photo
mediaId
a6b1825da378456b
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
5
type
photo
mediaId
bd384818f8fc7313
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
6
type
photo
mediaId
1238d5447df154ec
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no