The Scarab ring is a style of finger ring featuring a small sculpture of a scarab as the

bezel Bezel may refer to: Object * Bezel (jewellery), the rim which encompasses and fastens a jewel, watch crystal, lens or other object * Bezel, the sloping facets of the crown of a cut gem after gem cutting * Screen bezel, a space or frame around a d ...

that was popular in the

Egyptian Middle Kingdom The Middle Kingdom of Egypt (also known as The Period of Reunification) is the period in the history of ancient Egypt following a period of political division known as the First Intermediate Period. The Middle Kingdom lasted from approximately ...

and later. They generally incorporated an inscription on the base of the scarab but not always. The bezel design was developed in the late

Old Kingdom In ancient Egyptian history, the Old Kingdom is the period spanning c. 2700–2200 BC. It is also known as the "Age of the Pyramids" or the "Age of the Pyramid Builders", as it encompasses the reigns of the great pyramid-builders of the Fourt ...

as a signet/amulet with the scarab representing the god Ra. Glazed

steatite Soapstone (also known as steatite or soaprock) is a talc- schist, which is a type of metamorphic rock. It is composed largely of the magnesium rich mineral talc. It is produced by dynamothermal metamorphism and metasomatism, which occur in ...

was the most popular material although where the scarab have been in damp conditions the glazing may not have survived until the present day. Originally they were tied to the fingers with thread but later gold wire, with coils patterned after the thread, was used. Scarab rings with thicker hoops developed during the

Second Intermediate Period The Second Intermediate Period marks a period when ancient Egypt fell into disarray for a second time, between the end of the Middle Kingdom and the start of the New Kingdom. The concept of a "Second Intermediate Period" was coined in 1942 by ...

. The scarab itself was mounted with a gold wire running through its centre on which it could swivel. As well as gold silver was used. A final development was during the

Amarna Period The Amarna Period was an era of Egyptian history during the later half of the Eighteenth Dynasty when the royal residence of the pharaoh and his queen was shifted to Akhetaten ('Horizon of the Aten') in what is now Amarna. It was marked by the ...

where instead of being carved the scarab was cast as part of the ring. At the same time

faience Faience or faïence (; ) is the general English language term for fine tin-glazed pottery. The invention of a white pottery glaze suitable for painted decoration, by the addition of an oxide of tin to the slip of a lead glaze, was a major ad ...

copies of the rings were made.

References

{{reflist Ancient Egyptian culture Beetles and humans Rings (jewellery) Egyptian artefact types Scarabs (artifacts)