Scarab of Hatnefer

Scarab of Hatnefer

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Like Hatnefer's exquisite heart scarab, the small pieces of personal jewelry found on her mummy were beautifully crafted and indicate the richness of her burial. This scarab was found tied to her left thumb with a loop of 2-ply linen cord. The base is inscribed at the top with Hatshepsut's personal name and an abbreviated version of one of her principal queen's titles "God's Wife (of Amun)." Below, two kneeling figures hold what may be an emblem of the goddess Hathor.

Egyptian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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The Met collection of ancient Egyptian art consists of approximately 30,000 objects of artistic, historical, and cultural importance, dating from about 300,000 BCE to the 4th century CE. A signifcant percentage of the collection is derived from the Museum's three decades of archaeological work in Egypt, initiated in 1906 in response to increasing interest in the culture of ancient Egypt.