Look at all π of these scarabs ππͺπππ£πͺ!Β
I love these displays at the MET because they have all π of the scarabs ππͺπππ£πͺ grouped by the name ππ of the pharaoh that is inscribed on them! These scarabs ππͺπππ£πͺ contain the throne name of the 18th Dynasty pharaoh ππ» Thutmosis III π π π΄! I also love tiny things, so these displays are some of my favorites!
The scarab ππͺπππ£ is the personification is the god πΉ Khepri π£πππ. The scarab ππͺπππ£ amulets ππͺπ πͺ were said to be the most powerful of amulets ππͺπ πͺ because the the ancient Egyptians πππππͺ believed that the dung beetle (which the scarab ππͺπππ£ was fashioned after) was capable of eternal regeneration.
The god πΉ Khepri π£πππ symbolizes a βlife cycleβ – birth π, death π ππ±, and then rebirth ππΏπ ± in the afterlife πΌπΏππ. This cycle was essential to Egyptian religious beliefs, as Egyptians πππππͺ spent their lives preparing for death π ππ± and entering the Duat πΌπΏππ (afterlife).Β
Letβs read some hieroglyphs πΉππͺ!
The most common throne name spelling for Thutmosis III π π π΄ is βMenkhepperra π³π π£.β The name ππ Menkhepperra π³π π£ translates to βLasting is the Manifestation of Ra.β
π³ – Ra
π – Lasting
π£ – Manifestation
One of Thutmosis IIIβs throne name variants appears on one of the scarabs ππͺπππ£πͺ- it is rare to see this variant! This throne name variant is βMenkhepperkara π³π π£πβ which translates to βLasting is the Manifestation of the Soul of Ra.β I love seeing the variants!Β
There are some other common phrases that accompany the name ππ of Thutmosis III π³π π£π on these little scarabs ππͺπππ£πͺ! See if you can spot them in the picture ππ ±π:
π – Lord of/Everything/All
πΉπ€ – The Perfect God
ππΉ – Given Life
π – Eternity
ππΏπΏ – Lord of the Two Lands