Collection record · Objects & craft
Heart Scarab of Nefer
The collection record classifies this work as scarabs. It is dated 1540–1296 BCE. Recorded culture or place: Egypt, New Kingdom (1540–1069 BCE), Dynasty 18.
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A closer look at the details.
- Museum title
- Heart Scarab of Nefer
- Date
- 1540–1296 BCE
- Culture / origin
- Egypt, New Kingdom (1540–1069 BCE), Dynasty 18
- Materials and technique
- graywacke
- Dimensions
- Overall: 2.9 x 5.7 x 7.6 cm (1 1/8 x 2 1/4 x 3 in.)
- Artist / maker
- Not specified by the museum
- Museum
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Accession number
- 1921.1030
FROM THE MUSEUM
In the museum’s words
The following description is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art’s original English record.
The design features in these objects borrow various ancient Egyptian funerary elements. The scale illustrated on top of the Cartier vanity case refers to the scale used in Osiris’s final judgment of the deceased. Amulets like the heart scarab were essential to the mummification process. They were placed throughout the mummy’s wrappings to protect the deceased during their journey in the afterlife. These inspired the Dior brooch seen on the model here. The ancient Egyptians believed amulets carried spells and that some, like the heart scarab, could sway opinions during the final judgement to help the deceased get to their version of heaven, called Iaru.
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Text and image sources
The Cleveland Museum of Art · The Charles W. Harkness Endowment Fund · CC0
The summary is based on public collection data. Refer to the museum’s latest record for the title, date and attribution.
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