Scarab with the name and title of a priest of Amun

New Kingdom

ca. 1550–1070 B.C.

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 130

The upper part of the scarab’s base bears a religious title, ‘priest of Amun’. The name Amun is written in the center of the composition, rendered by the oval hieroglyph for island surrounding a wavy water line. According to ancient Egyptian cryptography, the oval with water line forms the name of the god Amun. Cryptographic writing makes use of standard signs’ atypical values and introduces alternative signs based on such principles as acrophony, generally with the objective to form divine names. An ibis-headed figure, the lunar and scribal god Thot, is represented seated in the lower right corner. Djehuti, the ancient Egyptian name of Thot, is also the name of the priest in question. Below the seated figure are hieroglyphs referring to the sun god as the Lord of Protection/Support.

Artwork Details

Overview

Translation

Provenance

Title: Scarab with the name and title of a priest of Amun
Period: New Kingdom
Date: ca. 1550–1070 B.C.
Geography: From Egypt
Medium: Green jasper
Dimensions: L. 1.5 × W. 1.1 cm (9/16 × 7/16 in.)
Credit Line: Gift of Helen Miller Gould, 1910
Object Number: 10.130.316
Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art

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