New Ancient Egyptian Scarab purchased from HJB, Ltd.

[DonnaML]

I bought this ancient Egyptian scarab at the most recent Harlan J. Berk Buy or Bid Sale. It represents my 9th ancient Egyptian scarab. (For photos and descriptions of the other 8, see https://www.numisforums.com/topic/199-a-thread-for-my-antiquities/page/8/#comment-31893 and https://www.numisforums.com/topic/199-a-thread-for-my-antiquities/page/8/#comment-65632.)

 

Egyptian Steatite Scarab, New Kingdom - Third Intermediate Period, Dynasty 19 and 20, circa 1292–1069 BC. Reverse decorated with incised scene showing charioteer wearing headdress, standing in chariot pulled by horse and holding horse's reins. Length 19 cm. (3/4"). Purchased Aug 15, 2024 from Harlan J. Berk, Ltd., 229th Buy or Bid Sale, Lot 600.

 

HJB photo of the reverse scene:

 

 

My photo of the reverse scene:

 

 

A photo of my clay impression of the reverse scene:

 

 

My photo of the scarab and impression together on their stands, inside a  small bell jar with the glass dome removed:

 

 

HJB's photo of the top of the scarab, showing incised features of a scarab beetle:

 

HJB's video of my scarab, available at https://vimeo.com/968920262 :

 

 

HJB provided no provenance for this scarab. However, I was able to find an example of a scarab with an almost identical reverse scene -- also depicting a charioteer wearing a headdress, standing in a chariot being pulled by a horse, holding reins with a similar design -- that was sold by antiquities.co.uk (Christopher Martin's company) approximately four years ago. See https://www.antiquities.co.uk/shop/ancient-jewellery/scarabs/egyptian-steatite-scarab-with-a-chariot-scene/ for the photo and description, dating the scarab to the New Kingdom/Third Intermediate Period, i.e, the same period as mine. (Although the date of sale is not provided, the photo was uploaded to the Internet in June 2020.) Here is the photo; it's easy to see the similarity in the design:

 

 

According to the seller's description of this similar scarab, it had a pedigree to the well-known Gustav Mustaki Collection, exported to the UK from Alexandria, Egypt in 1953 (see https://tinyurl.com/33az6rz5 at p. 3). Although I have no expertise with respect to dating or authenticating ancient Egyptian scarabs, I would think that the close similarity between the scenes on my scarab and the one from the Mustaki Collection -- even though they are clearly not identical, or cast one from the other -- would not only suggest that they date to the same period, but should militate in favor of the authenticity of my specimen.

 

If anyone has any thoughts on these issues, or any other thoughts on the scene depicted  -- such as the meaning of the "loop" in the reins in the top center of the scene, between the charioteer and the horse, both in my example and in the other example I found -- I would appreciate your sharing them.

Edited August 29 by DonnaML

[CPK]

That is a great scarab with a super cool reverse scene!

[Curtisimo]

I’m sure it is lovely Donna but for some reason I can’t see your photos. All it shows is a blank canvas where the photo would be with a blue and white question mark in the center. Are others having issues or is it just on my end?

Either way, congratulations! I’ve been thinking about adding a representative scarab or two to my collection. Ancient Egypt has fascinated me since I was a kid.

[CPK]

14 minutes ago, Curtisimo said:

I’m sure it is lovely Donna but for some reason I can’t see your photos. All it shows is a blank canvas where the photo would be with a blue and white question mark in the center. Are others having issues or is it just on my end?

Either way, congratulations! I’ve been thinking about adding a representative scarab or two to my collection. Ancient Egypt has fascinated me since I was a kid.

Same for me. I can see the HJB video but none of the photos. All I am getting is an image icon and the file name, and when I click on it it just shows the tiny image icon.

[DonnaML]

My apologies, @Curtisimo and @CPK. Sometimes when I just copy and paste photos instead of uploading them, they aren't visible to everyone. Give me a few minutes and I should be able to fix things!

[DonnaML]

@Curtisimo and @CPK, it should be fixed now. When you have a chance, please confirm that you can see the images. Thanks.

Edited August 27 by DonnaML

[Curtisimo]

22 minutes ago, DonnaML said:

@Curtisimo and @CPK, it should be fixed now. When you have a chance, please confirm that you can see the images. Thanks.

Yup. Working now. Great addition Donna!

[CPK]

Yes, I can see them now. 👍

The little scene reminds me of relief artwork you'd see on a temple or monument. One of the more interesting scarab designs IMO.

[DonnaML]

I found one more example of a very similar design, also dated to the New Kingdom-Third Intermediate Period, in the online collection of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology at UCL. See  https://collections.ucl.ac.uk/Details/petrie/66474 :

It occurs to me after seeing this specimen that perhaps the mysterious "loop" in the reins as depicted on all three scarabs with this design is simply intended to represent the handle with which the charioteer holds the reins.   

 

Edited August 28 by DonnaML

[Tejas]

This is a very nice and interesting scarab. For what it is worth, I think it is genuine. The overall shape is consistent with the New Kingdom (or Third Intermediate Period). Chariots were introduced to Egypt in the Hyksos period, i.e. around 1600 BC, but did not play a significant role in the army and in royal imagery until the 18th Dynasty. The image on the scarab is a little crude and stylised, which could indicate a later date, around 1000 BC. Just a hunch, but I think the scarab could have come from the Levant, which was partly under Egyptian rule at the time.

Edited August 31 by Tejas

[Alegandron]

AWESOME @DonnaML!  GREAT scarab!

Here is mine from the same 19th Dynasty:

Egypt Scarab

RAMESSES II cartouche 19th Dyn 1292-1189 BCE

winged uraeus cobra

4.1g 19mm

Gustave Mustaki coll acquired fr Egypt in 1948;

ex Timeline Auctions

Ramesses II /ˈræməsiːz, ˈræmsiːz, ˈræmziːz/ (variously spelled also Rameses^[5] or Ramses;^[6] born c. 1303 BCE; died July or August 1213 BCE; reigned 1279–1213^[7] BCE), also known as Ramesses the Great, was the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire.^[8] His successors and later Egyptians called him the "Great Ancestor". He is known as Ozymandias in the Greek sources,^[9] from a transliteration into Greekof a part of Ramesses' throne name, Usermaatre Setepenre, "The justice of Rê is powerful—chosen of Rê".^[10]

Ramesses II led several military expeditions into the Levant, reasserting Egyptian control over Canaan. He also led expeditions to the south, into Nubia, commemorated in inscriptions at Beit el-Wali and Gerf Hussein. The early part of his reign was focused on building cities, temples, and monuments. He established the city of Pi-Ramesses in the Nile Delta as his new capital and used it as the main base for his campaigns in Syria.

Edited August 31 by Alegandron

[antwerpen2306]

as @Tejas thinks, I also think the scarab is genuine. The datation is,imo, also correct, this scene figures on scarabs from this period. It is also confirmed by the details as you can see : 

For the 2 other images, I have to start a new page, sorry

 

 

head and clypeus : nr 39

[antwerpen2306]

for the elytra and prothorax, nr 27

The best is that you compare with the scarab in hand. All this types are covering : head/clypeus : hyksos - XXth dyn.,elytra/prothorax : Hyksos - XXVIIth dyn., side : XIVth - XXVIth dyn.

For the loop, I have the impression there is an hieroglyph between the head of the man / loop and between the loop /head of the horse, maybe making only one.

for the side type nr 26 or 29. It is very difficult to see it