Strand of Scarab and Scaraboid Beads
New Kingdom
Almost 400 scarabs, most now strung on a strand about 13 1/2 feet long (more than 4 meters), were lying loose on the floor of a coffin inscribed with the name and title of the scribe Amenemhat. Only thirteen of the scarabs were inscribed and these are now strung separately. They had probably been inside a disintegrated basket found near the head of Amenemhat's mummy.
Amenemhat was buried in a family tomb established by his father, Neferkhawet. The damp conditions inside the tomb, which was dug into the desert floor near the edge of the cultivated land, had caused the basket and other organic material to disintegrate.
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