An Egyptian Amethyst Scaraboid, Middle Kingdom, ca. 2040 - 1783 BCE

A favorite among the pharaohs, amethyst was thought to protect the wearer from evil and misfortune. This beautiful example ranges in color from deep violet to pale lavender and is minimally carved into scarab form with an uninscribed base. The scarab is set in a vintage 18K gold swivel ring with wire bands around the shoulder. Swivel rings usually hold seals that can be rotated in the right direction to impress clay used to seal an object, much like sealing wax. The oldest known records of humans using amethyst can be found in ancient Egypt, where its use as a gemstone was found in the tomb of the 1st Dynasty pharaoh, Djer, dating to circa 3000 B.C.E. Beaded amethyst bracelets were discovered in the pharaoh's tomb, indicating that even during this early period in Egyptian history, amethyst gems were already in use and highly valued. Amethyst became widely popular in Egyptian culture during the Middle Kingdom with the discovery of the amethyst mines during the reign of Mentuhotep IV (ci