SETI

IDENTIFICATION OF SCARAB

The scarab was given to me by a friend who`s parents brought it back from Egypt in 1950. The scarab was given to their son who gave it to me in the 1980`s because of my interest in Ancient Egypt. It looks like an Isis head on it. The images are darker than the actual object. The scarab is carved stone and the cartouche is recessed not relief carved. It fits the hand perfectly for making a seal impression which would render the Cartouche with a right orientation. Size is 3.550" length X 2.340" width X 1.825" height. I would like any input anyone has on the scarab`s purpose and if it would warrant carbon dating to authenticate it. There are what appears to be small bits of flattened gold in various areas and a thick black carbon crust around the base edge of the scarab has what looks like under a high power magnifier a couple small blobs of gold melted in it. There is a slight glazing with some gold flakes under it (fly ash glazing from being in a fire?). The picture of a wall carving from Seti temple abydos has the same glyphs over a Rameses II cartouche. The diamond pattern on the back dates to a Hyksos pattern (Percy E. Newberry "Egyptian Scarabs" 1905, fig 67. Glyphs under "Men-Maat-Ra" appear as "Giving Life". Glyphs under Seti`s cartouche appear as " Like Re". Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thank You, Richard W. Ball

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