Egyptian Steatite Scaraboid for Pharaoh Shabaka

LATE 8TH-EARLY 9TH CENTURY B.C.

1 in. (7.65 grams, 27 mm).

Bifacial carved scaraboid; reverse with royal cartouche for Pharaoh Shabaka, flanked by the uraeus of Lower and Upper Egypt, surmounted by the Pharaonic epithet “King of the Upper and Lower Egypt” (“king of the reed” and “king of the bee”) and by the title “the son of Ra” and below, the sign of neb (damaged) “lord”; obverse with on the left, wedjat (winged cobra with the red crown – Lower Egypt), embracing with his wings shen (solar symbol) and in the centre, a lion with a ram's head, crowned and on the right, wedjat with the white crown of the Upper Egypt; on the upper section, a scarab with opened wings, instead of a lotus flower is depicted on the lower section.

Provenance

UK private collection before 2000.
On the UK art market.
Property of a London gentleman.

This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12081-217354.

Literature

Cf. Matouk, F.S., Corpus du scarabée égyptien. Vol. 1: Les scarabées royaux, Beirut, 1971, p.199, no. 811, for a scarab of Shabaka with similar design elements.

CONDITION

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LOT 0044