Egyptian Diorite Stone Scarab. Saite Period, 664-525 B.C. Carved in the round with detailed carapace and legs; not pierced. Cf. Ben-Tor, D., The Scarab: A Reflection of Ancient Egypt, Tel Aviv, 1993, p. 77, nos. 13-15, for comparable diorite scarabs. 8.22 grams, 21 mm (7/8 in.). (For this specific lot, 5% import VAT is applicable on the hammer price.)

Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The scarab amulet was arguably the most ubiquitous symbol in ancient Egypt, representing rebirth, transformation, and protection. Modelled after the scarab beetle, which was associated with the sun god Khepri, believed to roll the sun across the sky, the amulet illustrated the cycle of life and regeneration. Scarabs were commonly placed with the deceased as funerary amulets to ensure safe passage into the afterlife. They also served as seals and personal charms, often inscribed with prayers, names, or protective formulas. Widely used from the early Middle Kingdom (c. 2050 BCE) onwards, scarab amulets reflect spiritual beliefs and everyday practices in ancient Egyptian life.

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