Beautiful handmade Egyptian necklace/amulet composed of a large scarab beetle-shaped medallion carved from soapstone and small scarab beetles interspersed on the alpaca chain. The main scarab is set in a braided metal frame typical of 20th-century Egyptian settings intended for artisanal jewelry inspired by pharaonic models.
The reverse of the scarab beetles feature hieroglyphic and symbolic inscriptions.
Soapstone is a soft, beige-colored stone used since the Middle Kingdom (c. 2000 BC) in Egypt for carving scarab beetles, as the scarab beetle is one of the emblematic amulets of ancient Egypt. It is associated with the god Khepri, the morning form of the sun. It represents the power of rebirth and renewal.
This necklace is an antique, handcrafted piece from the 1960s, made in the artisan workshops of Luxor that produced jewelry based on archaeological findings. Of course, it is not a pharaonic antiquity, but it is a very powerful ethnographic jewel with great cultural value and as an amulet.
Wearing amulets with scarab beetles was very common in Egyptian culture because they believed it renewed vital energy, repelled evil and misfortune, favored inner strength, and provided protection to travelers.
