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Gold box ring surmounted by a scarab

ca. 330–310 BCE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 158
On the underside of the box, kneeling Eros.

From the end of the third millennium B.C., the scarab beetle served as an amulet in Egypt where it represented the sun god. In the Greek world, beginning in the sixth century B.C. it became the predominant type of gem, cut in carnelian and other hard stones. The scarab integrated into a gold ring appears in the fourth century B.C. The articulation of the insect and the embellishment of the box reveal craftsmanship of the highest order.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Gold box ring surmounted by a scarab
  • Period: Classical
  • Date: ca. 330–310 BCE
  • Culture: Greek
  • Medium: gold
  • Dimensions: H.: 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm)
  • Classification: Gold and Silver
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Schultz Foundation Gift, 2010
  • Object Number: 2010.226
  • Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art

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