Egypt, Late Dynastic to Ptolemaic Periods, ca. 664 to 30 BCE. A petite and wearable scarab carved by hand from a grey steatite with dark inclusions. The scarab has distinct insectile features like a wing carapace and retracted legs, and the bottom displays a bee and a cup-shaped hieroglyph enclosed within an exterior border of undulating waves. Set within a thin gold bezel, the scarab is drilled lengthwise through the body and a small pin secures it between the termini of a modern 21K+ (88% fineness) gold ring with an ovoid band. The scarab is able to spin on the suspension pin and enables the wearer to present the scarab either face-up or face-down. Size (scarab): 0.625" L x 0.425" W (1.6 cm x 1.1 cm); size (ring): 1.125" W x 0.8" H (2.9 cm x 2 cm); quality of gold: 21K+ (88% fineness); total weight: 6.6 grams.

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#142086

Not wearable based on band size, though could be refashioned to a wearable state or strung on a chain to be worn as a necklace. Scarab is ancient, and gold components are modern. Minor nicks to scarab and light softening to some incised details, and slight bending to overall form, otherwise intact and very good. Light earthen deposits throughout.