Spotlight On: Ancient Egyptian Artefacts

For centuries, archaeologists have explored the ancient world of the Egyptians. From the Pyramids of Giza to the tombs of the Pharaohs, they have discovered and collected magnificent artefacts.

The first Pyramid of Giza was built by Khufu, the second king of Egypt’s fourth dynasty. It was completed in the early 25th century BCE. Pyramids and other tombs built for the Pharaohs as they began their journey to the afterlife were filled with rich objects. The overwhelming wealth and fortune in the tombs of the Pharaohs proved too tempting, and they would often be robbed shortly after the burial. Artefacts would then be sold over many years. Some would be lost in the process and later discovered by people decades, and even centuries, later. A handful of such objects have found there way into the Museum’s collection.

Here we focus on a few Egyptian objects from the Museum’s collection.

Scarab Bead

Jewellery was a prized possession found amongst the riches of pharaohs and non-royalty. Scarab beads are often found in large quantities in collections. Scarabs are dung beetles and in ancient Egypt they represented the rising sun and eternal existence. This is because the insect was often found pushing balls of dung up hills, and the Egyptians believed the sun was propelled around the earth the same way. Scarabs were revered as some of the most powerful symbols in all ancient Egypt. Steeped in the meaning and legend, the scarab allegory propelled it to become one of the most universally known icons of rebirth and transformation.

Scarab amulets and their supposed powers of rebirth and renewal were used to aid the dead. They could either be placed in the tomb or within the deceased mummies wrappings over the heart. They were placed over the heart as ancient Egyptians believed this represented the seat of the mind.  

Pectoral Necklace

Jewellery included rings, earrings, bracelets, pectoral necklaces, crowns, girdles and amulets. For the wealthy, pieces were made from semi-precious stones, precious metals and glass beads. Those with less wealth and status, substituted these with painted clay, stone, shells, animal teeth and bone. The traditional Egyptian necklace was called a Wesekh or a broad collar. A pectoral necklace represented the mixture of the sun and moon as heavenly bodies and was associated with the power of Egyptian kings. All types of jewellery provided protection, good luck, or guidance through the afterlife and could ward off bad luck or the evil eye.

Palaeolithic Hand Axe

The Museum’s collection also features Egyptian objects older than the Ancient Egyptian civilisation. These objects are hand axes which date to the Palaeolithic, or Old Stone Age period. For early hominids, hand axes were the equivalent of a Swiss army knife, used for a multitude of tasks including hunting, gathering and processing foods and clearing vegetation.  

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