Scarab Inscribed with the Name and Titles of Vizier Djedkhonsuiufankh

The scarab is made of lapis lazuli, a semi-precious stone that is only occasionally used for the production of scarabs. The earliest examples date from the early Middle Kingdom (ca. 2030-1850 B.C.) and several lapis lazuli scarabs of Dynasty 12 are on view in Gallery 111.

Hieroglyphs incised on the underside form the name and titles of a dignitary. Such name scarabs are prevalent during the Middle Kingdom and only few are known from the succeeding periods. When made of durable materials such as stone, these scarabs may have been used by their owner for administrative purposes, to seal documents and containers.

The title ‘overseer of the city’ is placed at the top, followed on the right side by a second title, that of vizier. In the center is a seated deity holding the sign of life (ankh) on his knees. He is identified as the falcon-headed god Khonsu because of the presence of a lunar disk and crescent on top of his head. The remaining hieroglyphs complete the dignitary’s name, Djedkhonsuiufankh.

The name is known from the Third Intermediate Period (ca. 1070-664 B.C.), when at least seven non-royal individuals, mostly priests, are named Djedkhonsiufankh. One of them was a vizier and this is the only scarab known to date to carry his name. Vizier Djedkhonsuiufankh was in office in the 8th century B.C. and is considered to have served under a ruler of Dynasty 23 (ca. 818-700 B.C.), when Egypt was politically divided between a northern kingdom (Lower Egypt) (Dynasty 22, ca. 945-712 B.C.) and a southern kingdom (Middle and Upper Egypt).

Vanessa Boschloos, Mellon Curatorial Research Fellow, 2018.

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Overseer of the city, vizier, Djedkhonsuiufankh

Formerly collection of William Frankland Hood (d. 1864). Purchased for his collection by Lord Carnarvon before 1923. Carnarvon Collection purchased by the Museum from Lady Carnarvon, 1926.