Scarab with the Representation of a Hippo

Scarab with the Representation of a Hippo

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

A hippo turns its head towards the hieroglyph for good and beautiful (nfr). More signs are placed above and below. The hippo has an ambivalent meaning in ancient Egypt. While it was considered one of the country’s most dangerous animals, the hippo was also a symbol for rebirth and regeneration. The positive nature of the accompanying hieroglyphs indicates that the representation of a hippo had a protective function for the scarab’s owner.

Egyptian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Scarab with the Representation of a HippoScarab with the Representation of a HippoScarab with the Representation of a HippoScarab with the Representation of a HippoScarab with the Representation of a Hippo

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.