Scarab: Neferkara and Hieroglyphs (ankh and djed signs)
Ancient Egyptian
Middle Kingdom–Second Intermediate Period, Dynasties 12–17 (about 2055–1550 BCE)
Medium
Faience
Dimensions
2.5 × 1.9 × 1.3 cm (1 × 3/4 × 1/2 in.)
Classification
scarab
Department
Arts of Africa
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
134133
About the Artist
Ancient Egyptian
Ancient Egyptian artists, a collective of highly skilled artisans spanning over three millennia from the Predynastic period (c. 6000–3150 BC) to the Roman era (30 BC–4th century AD), produced some of humanity's most enduring masterpieces. These anonymous craftsmen, often organized in state-sponsored workshops, lived in dedicated communities like Deir el-Medina near Luxor during the New Kingdom (c....