Scarab with Protective Sign

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Many Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period scarabs show a hieroglyph in the shape of a long and narrow loop. It is a stylized version of the sign for protection (sa) and is often mistaken for another hieroglyph, the loop or ring (shen) that is used to form words that refer to encircling, enclosing. The protective loop, whether represented once or multiple times, with or without other positive signs and symbols, thus bestows protection upon the owner of the amulet.

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