Commemorative scarab of King Shabaka
Gallery Location
Galleries of Africa: Egypt
Medium
Steatite (talc-schist), carved and fired
Geography
Undetermined site, Egypt or the Levant
Date
c. 716-702 BC
Period
Reign of Shabaka, 25th Dynasty, 3rd Intermediate Period
Dimensions
9.25 x 6.65 cm
Object number
910.28.1
Cataloguer
Gayle Gibson
ROM Staff, 1990-2015; ROM Volunteer 2015-Present
Collection
Department
Art & Culture: Ancient Egypt & Nubia
Description
In 715 BC, Kushite (Nubian) forces established themselves as the 25th Dynasty rulers of Egypt. This finely carved commemorative scarab celebrates the victory of King Shabaka over Egyptian rebels, foreign peoples and "sand dwellers" (of the Levant) who, fighting among themselves, delivered each other up as prisoners. C.T. Currelly, founder of the Royal Ontario Museum, purchased this piece in 1910 in Jerusalem, but it was not until 1956 that its authenticity was firmly established.
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