A fine Egyptian, turquoise glazed, steatite scarab with a detailed obverse. Attention has been paid to the detailed clypeus and head, as well as the prothorax and elytra. The legs of the scarab are delicately carved into the side, and are enhanced with short, vertical hatched lines known as ‘feathering’ to add texture. The flat reverse depicts a seated goddess, Ma'at, holding an ankh sign with a sun disk to the top. In front of her is a 'hes' jar. Below, various hieroglyphs have been carved, including another sun disk, a uraeus, a feather of Ma'at, and a 'neb' sign to the bottom. Despite the unordered positioning, the depiction of Ma'at, together with the sun disk and 'neb' sign, might be interpreted as the prenomen of the 18th Dynasty pharaoh Amenhotep III, ‘Neb-maat-re’. The scarab has been pierced longitudinally for suspension. Minor chip to the edge of the reverse. Earthly encrustations throughout. The Egyptians wore amulets alongside other pieces of jewellery. They were decorative, but also served a practical purpose, being considered to bestow power and protection upon the wearer. Many of the amulets have been found inside the wrappings of mummies, as they were used to prepare the deceased for the afterlife. The scarab beetle was an exceedingly popular symbol in the art of Ancient Egypt, thought to represent the sun god, Ra. Ancient Egyptians believed that the scarab beetle rolling its ball of dung across the desert mirrored the journey of the sun across the sky from day to night. As the beetle laid its eggs within the dung, it became a symbol of rebirth and regeneration. Measurements: L 1.6cm x W 1.1cm x H 0.8cm Provenance: Ex Cambridgeshire collection, 2000's. Previously from UK auctions houses, pre 2000's.