**First Time At Auction**
Ancient Egypt, Second Intermediate Period, 15th to 17th Dynasty, ca. 1650 to 1550 BCE. A hand-carved steatite scarab of yellow-white hues and of ovoid form with a suspension hole drilled lengthwise through the body. The topside bears insectile features such as sinuous legs, a trapezoidal head, and a folded wing carapace. The underside shows several inscribed hieroglyphs including a heart-and-windpipe, 2 wadjet eyes, an indiscernible glyph above the eyes, and a pair of crowns, perhaps the Deshret - crown of Lower Egypt - or the Pschent - crown of both Upper and Lower Egypt. The hieroglyphs on this scarab would be intended as protective iconography and a means of imparting good fortune on the wearer. Size: 0.55" L x 0.4" W (1.4 cm x 1 cm)
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-Richard Fells collection
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#167911
Condition
Areas of possible restoration to top of wing carapace, lower right corner of hieroglyphs, and topmost hieroglyph, but very well done if so. Minor nicks to suspension hole rims and legs, with softening to some finer details. Great preservation to remaining hieroglyphs on bottom.