Lapis Lazuli Scarab

Lapis Lazuli Scarab
This small scarab is made from the blue stone, lapis lazuli. This was very precious to the ancient Egyptians because they prized its blue colour and because it had to be imported into Egypt. Scarabs were sacred to the Egyptians, who believed that they pushed the sun across the sky in the same way that they pushed balls of dung along the ground. Because the sun was reborn each day the scarab is associated with rebirth. It is quite unusual to find a scarab like this one, which has a human head. The carving is very detailed, making this a fine quality piece. It has been pierced to be used in a piece of jewellery. Scarabs of this type should really be called scaraboids because they have the oval scarab shape but are not actually carved with the back of a beetle. Date uncertain, but probably New Kingdom, 1550-1295 BC.
NWHCM : 1921.37.165.2 : A
Length: 24mm
Width: 15mm
Depth: 10mm
Gift from Helen Caroline Colman and Ethel Mary Colman