Scarab with Lotus Decoration

Early New Kingdom

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 109

The somewhat-rounded shape of the scarab is characteristic for early Dynasty 18 scarabs (ca. 1550–1458 B.C.). Two lotus flowers, incised in a careful and detailed manner, decorate the underside and merge with each other at the stem. For the ancient Egyptians, the lotus (or actually the water lily) is the symbol of Upper Egypt and, perhaps most relevant as a motif on amulets, of rebirth.

Scarab with Lotus Decoration, Green glazed steatite

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.