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Heart Scarab

Egyptian (Artist)

1070-736 BCE (Third Intermediate Period)

black-brown serpentine
(Ancient Egypt and Nubia )

This serpentine scarab has a flat underside with a vertically arranged inscription with the text from spell 30B of the "Book of the Dead." The back of the scarab has a detailed design with a polished surface and almost balanced proportions. The workmanship is good and the piece is carefully made.

This scarab functioned as an independent, user individualized funerary amulet with a renewal connotation and supportive function for the deceased in the Court of the Dead.

Inscription

[Translation] Recitation of Osiris: (the) head of beverages depot, Pa-en-Ptah: / Heart (that I received) from my mother, heart (that I received) from my mother, heart of my (different) ages, do not stand up against / me as witness; do not contradict me in the court; do nothing against me in front of the deities; / do not treat me with hostility in front of the Keeper of the Balance. You are my Ka (life-force), which is in my body; the creator, / who makes the limbs of my body whole; you may come out to the beautiful place, which is there prepared for me. Do not cause my name / to stink in the presence of the members of the court, who make people to resurrected (at) the beautiful place. Excellent is it for the posers; a pleasure is it / for the judge. Do not speak lies against me beside the great god. / See, you are elected to exist (as a justified one).

Provenance

**Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.**

Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

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Geographies

Egypt (Place of Origin)

Measurements

H: 1 1/16 x W: 1 3/4 x L: 2 1/2 in. (2.7 x 4.4 x 6.3 cm)

Credit Line

Acquired by Henry Walters

Location in Museum

Not on view

Accession Number

In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.

42.81

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Heart Scarab

Inscription

Provenance

**Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.**

Geographies

Measurements

Credit Line

Location in Museum

Accession Number

In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.

Do you have additional information?

Hours

Location

Phone

Heart Scarab

Inscription

Provenance Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.

Geographies

Measurements

Credit Line

Location in Museum

Accession Number In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.

Do you have additional information?

Provenance

**Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.**

Accession Number

In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.