Sacred Adornment Exhibition Interactive - Part 2

Part Two: Scarabs in Life and Death

Some scarabs were used by people who were living:

A black square with a necklace with alternating red beads and small scarab amulets, with a pendant in the shape of a falcon.

In their jewelry and adornment, like on this necklace.

A black square with a rectangular piece of dried brown clay on the left showing the imprint of an oval scarab shape with swirling designs. On the right is an image of a person using a metal stamp to seal hot red wax on an envelope and below is the sealed envelope.

As seals to close boxes, bags, doors and papyrus documents. Sometimes we still use wax to seal envelopes and letters today!

A black square with an image of a carved blue scarab at the top which has been turned into a ring with a gold band. The scarab has carvings of three figures in a boat. Below is an image of a fountain pen signing a name on a white sheet of paper in black ink.

In signet rings carved with markings specific to the wearer, like a signature. Maybe you or someone you know uses a signature to sign their name in a special way. Sometimes people today still wear signet rings.

Some scarabs were important in burials and tombs:

A black square showing the pendant of a necklace in the shape of a shiny black stone scarab hanging next to gold, red, blue, green and purple beads.

Funerary scarabs were used as amulets for mummies.

A black square with a gold winged scarab amulet in the center.

Large scarabs with outstretched bird wings could be attached to the wrappings of a mummy.

(Amulet 31-27-274. Courtesy of Penn Museum.)

A black square with two views of the same grey green stone scarab showing the top with details of the beetle itself and the bottom with hieroglyphic inscriptions.

Heart scarabs were used to protect the heart of the person in death, and ensure safe passage to the afterlife. The flat surface underneath contains a spell from The Book of the Dead, offering words of magical protection for the heart of the person when it was weighed during the final judgement.

The Walters Art Museum.

Part 2 Task:

Choose one of the uses of scarabs above, and draw yourself using or wearing it in the way described on your piece of paper.

Once you have completed the task, click below to move on to Part 3!

Part 3 - Protective Scarabs

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