DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41333#0077
JozefHudec
Bratislava
Some Scarabs from the Second Intermediate Period
in the Bratislava Collection*
(Plates 19-20)
Scarab-beetles are a very characteristic feature
of Ancient Egyptian culture and religion. Scarab-
seals, on the other hand, are a characteristic feature
of Egyptian material culture. They appeared as early
as the Old Kingdom,* 1 though the first scarabs deco-
rated on their base are found in archaeological con-
text in the First Intermediate Period.2
The scarabs were known also outside Egypt or
Egypt-related areas in Syropalestine, Nubia or the
Mediterranean.3 They can be found in several other
parts of the Roman Empire, in the areas to which
the soldiers previously stationed in Egypt were
moved and they are even known far beyond the
Limes Romanus. For example, SLIWA4 mentions
scarabs found in Poland and there is a scarab found
even on Ceylon (Sri Lanka).5 There is also a piece
found in 19th century Slovakia and another described
in the early 60's,6 though both were found under very
obscure conditions.
Only a few of the about one hundred scarabs
and scaraboids, today located in Slovak museums,
are mentioned in this paper. The focus will be on
three scarabs and one scaraboid (pis. 19 and 20).
These four pieces are now deposited at the Ar-
chaeological Department of the Slovak National
Museum, Bratislava. They were originally collected
by Dr Daniel SCHIMKO,7 probably before 1867.
* I would like to express here my thanks to the Andrew
W. Mellon Foundation and to the W.F. Albright Institute
of Archaeological Research in Jerusalem for having ena-
bled me to conduct research necessary also for this paper.
1R. GIVEON, Skarabaus,L4 V, col. 973.
2 Ibidem, col. 974.
3 N.J. SKON-JEDELE, “Aigyptiaka “:A catalogue of Egyp-
tian and Egyptianizing objects excavatedfrom Greek ar-
chaeological sites, ca. 1100-525 B.C.,with historical
commentary, Ann Arbor 1995.
4 J. SLIWA, Skarabeusze egipskie. Uniwersytet Jagiel-
lohski, Krakow 1995, pp. 29-32.
5 P. CHARVAT, An Egyptian scarab from Sri Lanka (Ceylon),
GM 70 (1984), pp. 19-26.
There is no further information on the origin of the
scarabs and the scaraboid.
Description
Inventory No AP 13 393. The scarab is made
of Egyptian faience.8 Height - 0.8 cm, length -1.9
cm, width -1.3 cm. The scarab is provided with
a stylised clypeus and a head with schematic eyes.
This part is separated from the scarab’s back,
which has no division into prothorax and elytra.
The legs are very stylised; there is only one short
line depicting the pair of the most hind legs. There
is a longitudinal aperture drilled into the scarab’s
body. On the flat base is carved the representa-
tion in an oval enclosure as follows: alongside the
right edge of the base is depicted a crocodile, ori-
ented towards the scarab’s head. On the base’s
left side, behind the crocodile’s back, there is
a standing figure with a bird’s head. The figure is
stretching one hand up in front of its head and the
other hand is hanging loosely down. The figure is
probably wearing a wig and is dressed in a skirt.
Below the figure is carved the nb-sign. There is
a ribbed pattern on the crocodile’s body, the skirt
and the »6-sign. The core of the scarab is creamy
coloured, without a glaze slip. The diameter of the
scarab’s longitudinal aperture is 0.2 cm.
6 Z. zABA, Staroegyptske skaraby. Slovensko, Casopis
pre rozvoj humanitnych vied XV, part 7, Bratislava s.d.,
pp. 161-167.
7 J. HUDEC, Perspectives of research and publishing of
Egyptian Collections in Slovakia, in: J. POPIELSKA-
GRZYBOWSKA (ed.), Proceedings of the First Central
European Conference of Young Egyptologists. Egypt
1999: Perspectives of Research. Warsaw 7-9 June 1999,
Swiatowit Supplement Series E: Egyptology, vol. I, WES,
vol. Ill, Warsaw 2001, p. 37.
8 A. LUCAS, J.R. HARRIS, Ancient Egyptian Materials
and Industries, London 1962 (hereinafter refened to as:
Materials), pp. 156-167.
71
Bratislava
Some Scarabs from the Second Intermediate Period
in the Bratislava Collection*
(Plates 19-20)
Scarab-beetles are a very characteristic feature
of Ancient Egyptian culture and religion. Scarab-
seals, on the other hand, are a characteristic feature
of Egyptian material culture. They appeared as early
as the Old Kingdom,* 1 though the first scarabs deco-
rated on their base are found in archaeological con-
text in the First Intermediate Period.2
The scarabs were known also outside Egypt or
Egypt-related areas in Syropalestine, Nubia or the
Mediterranean.3 They can be found in several other
parts of the Roman Empire, in the areas to which
the soldiers previously stationed in Egypt were
moved and they are even known far beyond the
Limes Romanus. For example, SLIWA4 mentions
scarabs found in Poland and there is a scarab found
even on Ceylon (Sri Lanka).5 There is also a piece
found in 19th century Slovakia and another described
in the early 60's,6 though both were found under very
obscure conditions.
Only a few of the about one hundred scarabs
and scaraboids, today located in Slovak museums,
are mentioned in this paper. The focus will be on
three scarabs and one scaraboid (pis. 19 and 20).
These four pieces are now deposited at the Ar-
chaeological Department of the Slovak National
Museum, Bratislava. They were originally collected
by Dr Daniel SCHIMKO,7 probably before 1867.
* I would like to express here my thanks to the Andrew
W. Mellon Foundation and to the W.F. Albright Institute
of Archaeological Research in Jerusalem for having ena-
bled me to conduct research necessary also for this paper.
1R. GIVEON, Skarabaus,L4 V, col. 973.
2 Ibidem, col. 974.
3 N.J. SKON-JEDELE, “Aigyptiaka “:A catalogue of Egyp-
tian and Egyptianizing objects excavatedfrom Greek ar-
chaeological sites, ca. 1100-525 B.C.,with historical
commentary, Ann Arbor 1995.
4 J. SLIWA, Skarabeusze egipskie. Uniwersytet Jagiel-
lohski, Krakow 1995, pp. 29-32.
5 P. CHARVAT, An Egyptian scarab from Sri Lanka (Ceylon),
GM 70 (1984), pp. 19-26.
There is no further information on the origin of the
scarabs and the scaraboid.
Description
Inventory No AP 13 393. The scarab is made
of Egyptian faience.8 Height - 0.8 cm, length -1.9
cm, width -1.3 cm. The scarab is provided with
a stylised clypeus and a head with schematic eyes.
This part is separated from the scarab’s back,
which has no division into prothorax and elytra.
The legs are very stylised; there is only one short
line depicting the pair of the most hind legs. There
is a longitudinal aperture drilled into the scarab’s
body. On the flat base is carved the representa-
tion in an oval enclosure as follows: alongside the
right edge of the base is depicted a crocodile, ori-
ented towards the scarab’s head. On the base’s
left side, behind the crocodile’s back, there is
a standing figure with a bird’s head. The figure is
stretching one hand up in front of its head and the
other hand is hanging loosely down. The figure is
probably wearing a wig and is dressed in a skirt.
Below the figure is carved the nb-sign. There is
a ribbed pattern on the crocodile’s body, the skirt
and the »6-sign. The core of the scarab is creamy
coloured, without a glaze slip. The diameter of the
scarab’s longitudinal aperture is 0.2 cm.
6 Z. zABA, Staroegyptske skaraby. Slovensko, Casopis
pre rozvoj humanitnych vied XV, part 7, Bratislava s.d.,
pp. 161-167.
7 J. HUDEC, Perspectives of research and publishing of
Egyptian Collections in Slovakia, in: J. POPIELSKA-
GRZYBOWSKA (ed.), Proceedings of the First Central
European Conference of Young Egyptologists. Egypt
1999: Perspectives of Research. Warsaw 7-9 June 1999,
Swiatowit Supplement Series E: Egyptology, vol. I, WES,
vol. Ill, Warsaw 2001, p. 37.
8 A. LUCAS, J.R. HARRIS, Ancient Egyptian Materials
and Industries, London 1962 (hereinafter refened to as:
Materials), pp. 156-167.
71