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Scarabs of Hatshepsut
Scarabs of Hatshepsut (r. 1479-1458 BCE), 18th Dynasty, New Kingdom of Egypt.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art was an integral part of the excavations of Hatshepsut's temple at Deir al-Bahri. During the 1926-1927 dig season, 299 scarab amulets and stamp seals were discovered near the eastern wall of the temple. Scarabs were very popular amulets, and they were considered to be symbols of regeneration and rebirth.
On the scarabs that were found, there was an example of every title or name that Hatshepsut ever held. These three scarabs have Hatshepsut's birth name inscribed. The hieroglyphs in birth name can be translated to "United with Amun, Foremost of the Noble Women." The name "Hatshepsut" translates to "Foremost of the Noble Women"; she added "United With Amun" to her name at a later point. Hatshepsut claimed that Amun was her father, and adding this part to her name justified her right to rule as pharaoh.
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Questions & Answers
How long was ancient Egypt art produced?
- Ancient Egyptian art was created from the Predynastic Period (c. 6000 to c. 3150 BCE) through the Ptolemaic Period (323-30 BCE) and even into the era of Roman Egypt (30 BCE-646 CE).
What was the purpose of ancient Egyptian art?
- Ancient Egyptian art was primarily functional - it served a practical purpose - but it was still crafted to be aesthetically pleasing.
What types of art did the ancient Egyptians produce?
- The ancient Egyptians produced all kinds of art from statuary to jewelry to ceramics, paintings, drawings, figurines, everyday household items, clothing, dog collars, and ornamentation for tombs, temples, and monuments.
What is the most famous artwork from ancient Egypt?
- The most famous artwork from ancient Egypt is the Great Sphinx of Giza followed by the bust of Queen Nefertiti and the golden death mask of Tutankhamun.
