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Source Description

A faience scarab amulet with a blue glaze. In some areas the glaze is worn and the matrix of the material is visible. The elements of the head, and body have been formed in relief. This type of scarab often had attachable wings. The scarabs from this period are usually about 5 cm long and most often are blue in color. An incised ridge along the lower side forms a narrow base. Numerous funerary amulets were usually placed among the many layers of linen strips used to wrap mummies. Specific amulets, along with their required position on the body, are listed in funerary texts such as "The Book of the Dead." Amulets were sometimes sewn directly onto the wrappings or could be incorporated into a bead net shroud covering the mummy. These amulets have been modeled with a flat underside and are pierced by tiny holes around the edges for attachment. The winged scarab is a potent symbol of resurrection and rebirth. The protective deities represented are connected with the myth of Osiris.

Scholar Source Context

Document identity
localId
77455
label
Scarab with Wings
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
https://purl.thewalters.org/art/VO.8 (42.373, 48.1667, 48.1668)
pageCount
2
Source metadata
id
77455
sourceUrl
https://purl.thewalters.org/art/VO.8 (42.373, 48.1667, 48.1668)
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Scarab with Wings
description
A faience scarab amulet with a blue glaze. In some areas the glaze is worn and the matrix of the material is visible. The elements of the head, and body have been formed in relief. This type of scarab often had attachable wings. The scarabs from this period are usually about 5 cm long and most often are blue in color. An incised ridge along the lower side forms a narrow base. Numerous funerary amulets were usually placed among the many layers of linen strips used to wrap mummies. Specific amulets, along with their required position on the body, are listed in funerary texts such as "The Book of the Dead." Amulets were sometimes sewn directly onto the wrappings or could be incorporated into a bead net shroud covering the mummy. These amulets have been modeled with a flat underside and are pierced by tiny holes around the edges for attachment. The winged scarab is a potent symbol of resurrection and rebirth. The protective deities represented are connected with the myth of Osiris.
provenance
Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
1070-525 BCE (Third Intermediate-early Late Period)
citationUrl
https://purl.thewalters.org/art/VO.8 (42.373, 48.1667, 48.1668)
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
scarabs
imageCount
2
pageCount
2
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
1.7
height
3.3
depth
4.1
dimensionsRaw
11/16 x 1 5/16 x 1 5/8 in. (1.7 x 3.3 x 4.1 cm)
Source extras
cul
Egyptian
dynasty
21st-26th Dynasty
med
faience with blue glaze
creator_ids
6182
collection_ids
EGY
exhibition_ids
none
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
54486aeef1f54093
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
1e2261c5c065a998
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no