Lot 149A

Egyptian Middle Kingdom Steatite Scarab Beads - Pair with Scroll Motifs

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Lot 149
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Egyptian Middle Kingdom Steatite Scarab Beads - Pair with Scroll Motifs
Egyptian Middle Kingdom Steatite Scarab Beads - Pair with Scroll Motifs
image_0 image_1 image_2

Egyptian Middle Kingdom Steatite Scarab Beads - Pair with Scroll Motifs

Estimate: $600 - $900

Starting Bid: $300

(0 Bids)
by Artemis Fine Arts
August 6, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

North Africa, Egypt, Middle Kingdom, ca. 2055–1650 BCE. A pair of carved steatite scarabs, each a compact ovoid rendered in the timeless image of Scarabaeus sacer, the dung beetle the ancient Egyptians revered as Khepri, god of the rising sun and of becoming. The domed backs preserve the beetle's clypeus and wing-case divisions in low relief, worn soft by age and handling. Both are pierced longitudinally for suspension, worn strung as amulets or set into ring bezels. The flat undersides bear engraved scrolling patterns, likely stylized spirals interwoven with pseudo-hieroglyphic signs, a decorative vocabulary favored in Middle Kingdom seal-amulets. As emblems of regeneration, self-creation, and solar renewal, scarabs accompanied the living and the dead alike, promising the daily rebirth mirrored in the sun's eternal cycle. Size of larger: 0.6" W x 0.3" H x 0.4" D (1.5 cm W x 0.8 cm H x 1.0 cm D).

The scarab beetle held profound meaning in Egyptian thought. Observing the insect roll its ball of dung across the ground, the Egyptians saw a mirror of the sun's passage across the sky, and named the creature after the verb kheper, "to come into being." From this arose Khepri, the scarab-headed aspect of the sun at dawn. Middle Kingdom scarabs frequently carry scroll borders and interlocking spiral designs on their bases rather than legible name-inscriptions, an ornamental tradition whose motifs may derive from earlier button-seal patterns. Close examination under magnification, ideally by a specialist, would clarify whether the underside marks constitute a genuine hieroglyphic legend, a private name, or purely decorative scrollwork.

Provenance: private Marysville, Washington, USA collection; ex-private Seattle, Washington, USA collection, acquired 1970 to 2000 via US and online auctions

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Item # 204071

  • Condition: Larger has some areas of chipping as well as encrustations to suspension hole that inhibit wearability. More petite has a few nicks and abrasions in areas. Otherwise, more petite is wearable and both are very nice with good remaining detail.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000