Like other pharaohs, Tutankhamun was buried with all his funerary objects and personal possessions, densely packed in the limited space. Luckily most of the burial goods remained intact. In 1922 when British archaeologist Howard Carter entered the intact tomb of King Tutankhamun (c1332–23 BC), his eyes eventually fell on heaps of luxury objects that had been intended to take the boy king into the next world.
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Pectoral in the Form of a Winged Scarab
Cairo Antiquity Museum
King Tutankhamun scarab necklace.
gold, carnelian, lapis lazuli, turquoise, feldspar
My favourite treasure from Tutankhamun’s Tomb is in the Cairo Museum, a stunning gold inlay necklace and scarab pendant, a pectoral (on the chest) with suspension chains and clasp. This pectoral of the rising sun on the horizon was one of the finest of King Tut’s many pectorals. It had a large lapis lazuli scarab in the centre, flanked by two rearing cobras. The scarab, standing on a solar boat, was pushing a carnelian disk representing the rising sun, and was flanked by symbols of stability, long life and beauty.
Each strap had a bead border on either side, the plaques being attached by means of four strand bead-work at back passed through fixed eyelets on the plaques. The straps terminated with curved gold elements carrying cloissonné vultures, the embodiment of Goddess Nekhbet, protector of the king as ruler of Upper Egypt.
The Pectoral in the Form of a Winged Scarab was another part of the Howard Carter cache, discovered in a box inlaid with ebony and ivory. This pectoral features a series of iconographical elements of great symbolic value, such as the scarab rendered in lapis lazuli. This beautiful winged scarab pectoral illustrates the throne name of King Tutankhamun. The central element is the scarab Sun God Khepri made of a fine piece of lapis lazuli, and three strokes of plural sign in hieroglyphs below it. Between the forelegs of the scarab, the risen Sun God Re was depicted, i.e the god of the rising sun. It is made of a clear red carnelian set in gold, which represents what, in nature, was the ball of mud and dung containing its eggs that was rolled forward by the beetle. Beneath the plural strokes sign in hieroglyphs is a basket shape Neb inlaid with turquoise. They sweep round to form a circle around the royal name, offering it divine protection.
gold, carnelian, lapis lazuli, turquoise, feldspar
Each strap had a bead border on either side, the plaques being attached by means of four strand bead-work at back passed through fixed eyelets on the plaques. The straps terminated with curved gold elements carrying cloissonné vultures, the embodiment of Goddess Nekhbet, protector of the king as ruler of Upper Egypt.
The Pectoral in the Form of a Winged Scarab was another part of the Howard Carter cache, discovered in a box inlaid with ebony and ivory. This pectoral features a series of iconographical elements of great symbolic value, such as the scarab rendered in lapis lazuli. This beautiful winged scarab pectoral illustrates the throne name of King Tutankhamun. The central element is the scarab Sun God Khepri made of a fine piece of lapis lazuli, and three strokes of plural sign in hieroglyphs below it. Between the forelegs of the scarab, the risen Sun God Re was depicted, i.e the god of the rising sun. It is made of a clear red carnelian set in gold, which represents what, in nature, was the ball of mud and dung containing its eggs that was rolled forward by the beetle. Beneath the plural strokes sign in hieroglyphs is a basket shape Neb inlaid with turquoise. They sweep round to form a circle around the royal name, offering it divine protection.
Cairo Antiquity Museum
Thank you to Charlotte Davis for research on scarabs. Scarabs were modelled after male Dung Beetles who were known for rolling up animal dung into a ball and rolling. When they gathered enough to form a large sphere, they then buried it underground as a food supply for their larvae. Egyptians believed that the beetle’s dung ball represented the globe which the beetle kept on revolving. The scarab beetle’s revolving ball came to represent the eternal cycle of life, a symbol of birth, life, death and resurrection. Since the sun was believed to die each night and reborn each morning, the scarab took on significant regenerative powers. The deceased needed to harness these powers to move into the afterlife.
In time, the objects showed more diversity in material and craftsmanship. Scarabs were now often produced in faience, with gemstones like turquoise, amethyst, green and red jasper, lapis lazuli. Thus they began to circulate as decorative objects during the Middle and Late Kingdoms. They were often used as jewellery eg necklaces, rings, tiaras, bracelets and earrings. And as furniture decoration. During the New Kingdom, scarabs were used to provide protection and luck.
Some of the pectoral funerary Egyptian scarabs featured birds’ wings to ensure rebirth of the deceased and a peaceful flight into the afterlife. And note Khepri was sometimes shown with bird’s wings.
The scarab was one of the most well-recognised symbols of death, birth and rebirth in Ancient Egypt, and protection in the afterlife. It appeared as amulets, on jewellery and in funerary contexts. Modelled after the dung beetle, the scarab was closely connected with the Sun God Khepri, who presided over the sun and the renewal of life. The scarab beetle was also associated with the gods Atum and Re, who represented primordial creation and the sun, respectively. Or the joint power of the sun and creation.
By the New Kingdom era (1550-1070 BC), scarabs had gained significant religious importance and were inscribed with the names of gods. In fact Pharaohs used scarabs to specifically link themselves with divinities. Most notably Amenhotep III (1390-52 BC) produced rich glazed faience scarabs during his reign to commemorate his first year on the throne.
In time, the objects showed more diversity in material and craftsmanship. Scarabs were now often produced in faience, with gemstones like turquoise, amethyst, green and red jasper, lapis lazuli. Thus they began to circulate as decorative objects during the Middle and Late Kingdoms. They were often used as jewellery eg necklaces, rings, tiaras, bracelets and earrings. And as furniture decoration. During the New Kingdom, scarabs were used to provide protection and luck.
Some of the pectoral funerary Egyptian scarabs featured birds’ wings to ensure rebirth of the deceased and a peaceful flight into the afterlife. And note Khepri was sometimes shown with bird’s wings.
The scarab was one of the most well-recognised symbols of death, birth and rebirth in Ancient Egypt, and protection in the afterlife. It appeared as amulets, on jewellery and in funerary contexts. Modelled after the dung beetle, the scarab was closely connected with the Sun God Khepri, who presided over the sun and the renewal of life. The scarab beetle was also associated with the gods Atum and Re, who represented primordial creation and the sun, respectively. Or the joint power of the sun and creation.
By the New Kingdom era (1550-1070 BC), scarabs had gained significant religious importance and were inscribed with the names of gods. In fact Pharaohs used scarabs to specifically link themselves with divinities. Most notably Amenhotep III (1390-52 BC) produced rich glazed faience scarabs during his reign to commemorate his first year on the throne.