Scarab Inscribed with Hieroglyphs

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The majority of design scarabs of the late Middle Kingdom (late Dynasty 12–Dynasty 13, ca. 1850–1640 B.C.) are decorated with symmetric compositions of hieroglyphs and/or scrolls. These signs are not meant to form words but are chosen for their positive, protective meaning. This scarab shows pairs of Red Crowns and bees, signs that are frequently used to form symmetric compositions. The other signs and symbols, such as the papyrus, the falcon, and the hieroglyphs for durability (djed) and beauty (nefer) reinforce the positive message of the design

Egyptian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art