Ancient Egypt, Blue faience glazed winged scarab - 5 cm

This winged scarab in faience, in excellent condition, is a significant piece within the corpus of amulets from Ancient Egypt and dates to the Late Period (664–332 BC), a stage characterized by a resurgence of traditional artistic forms and a strong symbolic charge in material production. The piece, measuring 11.5 cm wide, 5 cm high, and barely 1 cm thick, displays a carefully crafted design, composed of a central scarab with a robust body, flanked by two outstretched wings, directly referencing the solar and regenerative iconography of the god Khepri.

The scarab (Scarabaeus sacer) was one of the most recurrent representations in Egyptian art, as a symbol of rebirth, protection, and the cyclical movement of the sun. In particular, the winged scarab acquired an even more powerful connotation, alluding to the daily journey of the sun across the sky, and by extension, to the soul's journey in the afterlife. This piece would certainly have had an apotropaic, or protective, function, possibly placed on the chest of the deceased during funerary rituals, as part of the grave goods, or sewn into the mummy's wrappings. The visible perforations in the amulet's body and wings suggest its attachment to fabrics or even pectoral necklaces.

Faience, a vitreous material composed primarily of quartz and coated with a glossy bluish or greenish layer, was one of the most common materials for making amulets. The use of blue in this scarab is not accidental: it alludes to the Nile, the sky, and fertility—concepts deeply intertwined in the Egyptian worldview. During the Late Period, there was a revival of Archaic art, and many workshops revived forms and techniques from the New Kingdom, which would explain the careful stylization of the shell and wings with incised lines representing plumage.

Formally, this piece presents a sober yet balanced style, highlighting the symmetry of the wings with their well-defined folds and a modeling of the scarab that denotes a certain hieratic quality. The central element appears to represent Khepri emerging from the shell, a common motif that reinforces the idea of ​​transformation and resurrection.

This type of winged scarab has parallels with numerous examples found in tombs from the Third Intermediate Period and the Late Period, such as those discovered at Saqqara or in the burials at Tanis, where they were also used in pectorals or even as part of a "scarab heart" (although this piece does not appear to have any inscription on its underside, which would be common in the so-called "scarabs of the heart").

In short, we are faced with an object of profound ritual and aesthetic value, which synthesizes in its form and materiality the symbolic complexity of Egyptian funerary thought, serving not only as an ornament, but also as a guide and protection in the journey to the Afterlife.

Acquired from a French private collection, R.P in the 80's.
-The piece includes an authenticity certificate.

The Seller can prove that the lot was obtained legally. Important information. The seller guarantees that he is entitled to ship this lot. The seller will take care that any necessary permits will be arranged, this process can take between 2 and 4 weeks.

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