Scarab Praising the King as Ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt

On seal-amulets, the pharaoh is not necessarily represented in his human form; certain royal emblems, inscriptions, or animals can also represent him. Among the animals, the sphinx, a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a man, and depicted lying down, denotes the pharaoh on this scarab’s base. The small uraeus on his forehead leaves no doubt about his royal status. Above the sphinx’s back, the hes-vase is the hieroglyph for praise. Below are the stems of papyrus and lotus plants, respectively symbols of Lower and Upper Egypt. The entire composition therefore expresses praise for the pharaoh as ruler of a united Egypt; even though – or perhaps because – the empire was experiencing political turmoil in the Third Intermediate Period (ca. 1070-664 B.C.), the period to which this scarab dates. Between the two plants, a small shrine or booth refers to the Heb-Sed, a festival that celebrates the continuity of the king’s rule.