Scarab with Geometric Decoration
First Intermediate Period
Not on view
During the Old Kingdom, seal-amulets could be shaped as an animal placed on a round or oval base, the underside of which was decorated with geometric motifs or figurative representations. Some were scarab-shaped. However, the well-known scarab amulet only developed into its traditional form later, during the First Intermediate Period (Dynasty 9–early Dynasty 11, ca. 2100–2030 B.C.). The wings and head of the beetle are rendered in a stylized manner and carvers begin representing legs along the sides. This scarab shows a decorative geometric pattern on its underside. Such linear decorations were very popular on these earliest types of scarabs.
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