RESERVED for *David Gladwell* Egyptian art / statue Scarab box collection. 7 individual scarabs + feature lid

Egyptian Scarab Box

Dimensions - Height - 10 cm / 4 inches

Length - 15.5 cm / 6 inches

Width - 11 cm / 4-1/4 inches

The Scarab was a symbol of rebirth, renewal & regeneration. Also known as Khepri or Kheperu.

This is a special collection and something quite different. It is a Scarab trinket box with seven additional scarabs to start your collection. It may create an unusual focal point in your existing collection.

The largest scarab in the box is a particularly fetching example. Some of the scarabs have unique carvings of various hieroglyphs of a beneficial nature. The Nefer symbol, Ra solar discs and even a little carving of an ankh can be found.

The box itself features a large scarab that forms the lid and the very shape makes for an easy lift. A shapely box features carvings of hieroglyphs, lotus buds and the sun disc of Ra.

The scarab was said to push Ra up over the dawn horizon to start the journey of the sun god across the sky for a new day. The sun was imagined to 'sail' across the sky in Ra's day boat which is shown below the image Ra in a small etched water craft hieroglyph. The box and most of the scarabs are made of a quality limestone / quartzite composition stone (no resins). The vibrant blue scarab is made of faience glass, and a carved steatite example is also present.

The outer box has a nicely aged earthy black slate colouration and the scarabs within, are a variety of colours.

Mythological origins

This association came to the Egyptians quite early in history as they observed the scarab breaking up animal dung and forming a spectacularly perfect orb that was usually larger than the beetle itself. It would then roll it along the ground to its burrow and lay eggs in it. To the Egyptians it looked like the globe of the sun in miniature travelling across the ground instead of the sky, thus the scarab became connected with the solar god. The fact that the ball of dung would eventually burst with new scarabs gave it an extra push into the ancient consciousness that this powerful little creature was indeed a symbol of rebirth.

In my teenage years while building my Egyptian kingdoms on my grandparent's remote farm, I used to watch these creatures in action, and they used to work in packs until the job of breaking up a cow patty was done. They were an introduced species to the Australian outback in the 1950's and a pocket of them luckily survived on our farm.

*As each item is handmade, slight colour variations may occur.