An 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 identifiable and stylised legs are represented with incisions along the sides of the scarab. The reverse features three hieroglyphs: a cloth sign on the left next to a bird, possibly a vulture, and a neb sign to the bottom. The signs might not intend to form a meaningful phrase or word but rather were chosen for their associations with good fortune. A longitudinal perforation through the body would have allowed the scarab to be strung and worn with ease; however, some earthly encrustations remain on the surface and blocking the suspension hole. 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 1.7cm x W 1.1cm x H 0.5cm Provenance: Ex-AH collection of scarabs, London 1980-2000's.