As a witness to the opulence of ancient Egyptian royalty, a gold inlay necklace adorned with a significant scarab pendant stands out. Unearthed from the resting place of the young Pharaoh Tutankhamun, this exquisite piece transcends time with its undiminished grandeur.
The necklace, now housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, was showcased in London in 2020, attracting visitors who marveled at its intricate details and profound symbolism. The central feature of the necklace is a large lapis lazuli scarab, representing the scarabaeus sacer, a beetle considered sacred and a symbol of rebirth and regeneration. This scarab, set in a position of pushing a carnelian disk, conjures the image of the rising sun at dawn, reinforcing the pharaoh’s divine connection to the sun god Ra.
Flanking the scarab are two uraei, or rearing cobras, which signify sovereignty and divine authority—a fitting ornament for a ruler of Tutankhamun’s stature. These symbols are complemented by other emblematic motifs of stability, long life, and beauty, expressing a desire for the king’s eternal journey in the afterlife.
This necklace, with its pectoral of the rising sun on the horizon, is considered one of the most magnificent among the many treasures found in King Tutankhamun’s tomb. The pectoral’s design, featuring a flexible structure with suspension chains and a counterpoise clasp, exhibits the exceptional skill of ancient Egyptian goldsmiths.
In its current abode at the Egyptian Museum, the necklace serves as a reminder of the intricate belief systems of ancient Egypt and the society’s unparalleled craftsmanship. The legacy of Tutankhamun’s treasures continues to captivate historians, archeologists, and art enthusiasts, offering an enduring legacy of the boy king’s short but historically significant reign.
The story of this necklace offers a compelling narrative of the artistic, cultural, and religious significance of jewelry in ancient Egyptian society, particularly in the context of the burial practices of their pharaohs.
