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About This Work
This amulet features a carved green schist scarab beetle, a symbol of rebirth and transformation in ancient Egypt, encased in an ornate gold setting. Attached to gold wire links, the object was designed to be worn as part of a funerary necklace. The smooth, polished stone contrasts with the structured gold border, emphasizing the beetle's form.
Heart scarabs were placed over the chest of the deceased to ensure the heart did not testify against them during the Weighing of the Heart ceremony in the afterlife, as described in the Book of the Dead (Spells 26–30B).
Connected Texts
Book of the Dead
The heart scarab is a functional ritual object designed to invoke the spells found in the Book of the Dead to protect the soul in the afterlife.