A lovely Ancient Egyptian steatite scarab with hieroglyphs. The body of the scarab is finely detailed with double-lined elytra and prothorax. The head, eyes, and clypeus are clearly legible and delicately feathered legs are folded around it's circumference. A longitudinal perforation through the body would have allowed the scarab to be strung and worn with ease. The reverse features hieroglyphs, with papyrus reeds and flowers curling to either side at the centre, and possibly a 'horizon' motif below them. There are two large chips to the scarab. One on the right-hand side of the prothorax, and one at the tip underneath the head, thus exposing some of the hollow channel within. the piece is in otherwise good condition. Some sediment remains in the perforation channel. The scarab beetle was an exceedingly popular symbol in the art of Ancient Egypt, thought to represent the sun god, Ra. The Ancient Egyptians believed that the scarab beetle rolling its ball of dung across the desert mirrored the journey of the sun across the sky from day to night. As the beetle laid its eggs within the dung, it became a symbol of rebirth and regeneration. Measurements: L 1.4cm x W 1.1cm x D 0.6cm Provenance: Ex-AH collection of scarabs, London 1980-2000's.