Middle Kingdom, Ca. 20301650 BC.An amethyst scarab with an oval body and a gently rounded upper side detailing the clypeus, prothorax, and wings. This scarab has wonderfully moulded morphological features in a conventionalised representation of the scaraboid beetle. The underside is flat and unworked, drilled for suspension. Scarabs, from Latin scarabaeus (“beetle”), which in turn comes from Greek karabos (“beetle”; “crayfish”), were artistic depictions of the Egyptian dung beetle. In Egyptian mythology, these insects were linked to the Sun God Ra, who after his death in the Underworld, was reborn as a scarab. Used as amulets, seals, and to fulfil commemorative functions, scarabs were an important element of dress. Their undersides frequently feature hieroglyphic or geometric designs to identify their owners or ward off evil spirits. For a similar example, see The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession Number: 22.1.272.Size: L:18.4mm / W:13.3mm ; 2.91gProvenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s.