Scarab
Unknown Artist
750–300 BC
Medium
Steatite
Dimensions
L. 3 × W. 2.2 × H. 1.3 cm (1 3/16 × 7/8 × 1/2 in.)
Classification
Scarab
Period
Napatan Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Oxford University Expedition to Nubia, 1926
Accession Number
26.4.31
Art Historical Context
This petite scarab, carved from steatite—a soft, soapstone-like material ideal for intricate detailing—measures just 3 cm long, fitting snugly in the palm. Dating to the Napatan Period (750– BC), it hails from ancient Nubia, south of Egypt, where the Kingdom of Kush flourished under strong cultural influences. Discovered during the Oxford University Expedition to Nubia gifted to the Metropolitan Museum Art in 1926, it exemplifies the enduring Egyptian artistic tradition adapted by Nubian artisans. Scarabs like this one were sacred symbols of the sun god Khepri and rebirth, often used as amule...