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XXI
Dynastic Periods Relating to ScarabsScarabs for sale in the Forum Ancient Coins shop. | ||
2055 - 1650 BC | ||
11th | 2040 - 1991 BC | |
12th | 1991 - 1786 BC | |
13th | 1803 - 1649 BC | |
14th | 1705 - 1690 BC | |
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1660 - 1550 BC | ||
15th (Hyksos) | 1660 - 1600 BC | |
16th (Hyksos) | 1650 - 1550 BC | |
17th | 1585 - 1550 BC | |
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1570 - 1085 BC | ||
18th | 1570 - 1349 BC | |
19th | 1342 - 1197 BC | |
20th | 1197 - 1085 BC | |
21st | 1085 - 950 BC | |
22nd | 950 - 730 BC | |
23rd | c. 817 - 730 BC | |
24th | 730 - 715 BC | |
751 - 656 BC | ||
663 - 525 BC | ||
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525 - 332 BC | ||
27th | 525 - 404 BC | |
28th | 404 - 398 BC | |
29th | 398 - 378 BC | |
30th | 378 - 341 BC | |
31st | 341 - 332 BC | |
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Ptolemaic Period | 332 - 30 BC | |
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30 BC – AD 324 |
Plate E.
Plate H.
Plate L.
Plate F.
Plate J.
Plate M.
Plate G.
Plate K.
Plate N.
The details of workmanship which may also serve for distinctions are: (1) the feather pattern on the edge to imitate the hairy legs; (2) the head of lunate form, or (3) deep form, or (4) merging into the clypeus; (5) notched clypeus; (6) smooth clypeus; (7) V-shaped marks at the top of the elytra; (8) curling lines on back.
On the basis of these various distinctions twenty-three classes may be formed, which can almost always be quickly distinguished so as to find any given type. (See plates lix to lxxi, where all the varieties of form are drawn.) The types classified as follows :
Description | Features |
| Dynasties | Dates (c.) | Notes | |
Modeled legs | - | - | 26th (Saite) - Ptolemaic | 663 - 30 BC |
| A,B |
Feathered legs | Fore and aft | - | 10th - 13th | 2040 - 1680 BC |
| C |
Feathered legs | Gapped or One way | - | 10th - 15th | 2040 - 1570 BC |
| D |
Scarabaeus | V notches on elytra | Lunate head | 18th - 26th | 1570 - 525 BC | Much rarer pre 18th | E |
Scarabaeus | V notches on elytra | Deep head | 18th - 25th | 1570 - 656 BC | Much rarer pre 18th | F |
Scarabaeus | V notches on elytra | Merging head | 18th - 25th | 1570 - 656 BC | Much rarer pre 18th | G |
Scarabaeus | V from girdle to side | - | 12th - 25th | 1991 - 656 BC | Much rarer pre 18th | E-G |
Scarabaeus | diagonal line from girdle to side | - | 18th - 25th | 1479 - 656 BC | Begins Thothmes III (after 1479 BC) | E-G |
Scarabaeus | Notched clypeus | Lunate head | 5th - 19th | 2494 - 1197 BC |
| H |
Scarabaeus | Notched clypeus | Deep head | 11th - 13th | 2040 - 1680 BC |
| J |
Scarabaeus | Notched clypeus | Merging head | 11th - 26th | 2040 - 525 BC |
| K |
Scarabaeus | Smooth clypeus | Lunate head | 3rd - 25th | 2686 - 656 BC |
| L |
Scarabaeus | Smooth clypeus | Deep head | 9th - 18th | 2100 - 1349 BC |
| M |
Scarabaeus | Smooth clypeus | Merging head | 4th - 25th | 2613 - 656 BC |
| N |
Scarabaeus | Ribbed elytra (Scarabaeus venerabilis) | - | 19th - 20th | 1342 - 1085 BC |
| O |
Scarabaeus? | Ribbed head | - | 25th - 26th | 751 - 525 BC | Rarely 18th – 24th and 27th – 29th | P |
Scarabaeus? | Curl on back | - | 12th - 25th | 1991 – 656 BC |
| Q |
Scarabaeus? | Quadruped head & peculiarities | - | 19th - 25th | 1197 - 656 BC |
| R |
Catharsius | Square head |
| 12th - 13th | 1991 - 1680 BC | Begins Mid 12th | S |
Catharsius | A shaped head | - | 13th - 16th | 1786 – 1570 BC |
| T |
Copris | Clypeus point over head | - | 13th - 16th | 1786 – 1570 BC | Hyksos, c. 1786 – 1570 BC | U |
Gymnopleurus | Side notch | - | 18th - 25th | 1570 - 656 BC |
| V |
Gymnopleurus | deep collar where head joins pro-thorax | - | 5th - 26th | 2494 - 525 BC |
| W |
Hypselogenia | Long beak - regular | - | 12th – 18th | 1991 - 1570 BC | Rare in 12th, end Ramses II (before 1213 BC) | X |
Hypselogenia | Long beak - modified | - | 6th – 18th | 1570 - 1349 BC | Rare pre 13th, end Ramses II (before 1213 BC) | Y |
Scaraboids | Ovoid without beetle features | - | 3rd – Ptolemaic | 2686 - 30 BC |
| Z |
Scaraboids | Ovoid without beetle features | Rope design on side | 15th – 16th (Hyksos) | 1648 - 1534 BC |
| Z |
Heart Scarabs | - | - | - | 1700 – 30 BC | Most after 1570 BC |
|
On C and D, a feather pattern on the edge imitates hairy legs.
If legs are feathered, C if strongly feathered on the whole length, or D if gapped or feathered more on the back legs then on the front legs. If not feathered, then E - Z.
C and D, being small classes, are grouped by the form of the head, in the order of the different genera.
C. Fore and aft feathered sides for the front and back legs, plates X—XIII, 10th - 13th dynasties, 2040 - 1680 BC
Legs feathered on the the whole length.
Grouped by the form of the head, in the order of the different genera.
Feathered legs gapped or feathered more on the back legs then on the front legs.
Grouped by the form of the head, in the order of the different genera.
Notch marks on classes E, F, G, vary in form. On examining the various small differences statistically, some strong preferences for certain types are found in some periods, though not exclusively of one age.
The V or I line from the girdle line (as E 7, E 28) is early and continues late, 12th -26th dynasty, rare before 18th.
The V from the girdle to the side line (as E 9) begins in the 12th dynasty (after c. 1991 BC), 12th -26th dynasty, rare before 18th.
The diagonal line from the girdle to the side (as E 4) begins under Thothmes III (ruled c. 1479 -1425 BC), 18th - 25th dynasty.
The loop on the girdle (as E 17 and F 20) does not begin till Rameses II (ruled c. 1279 - 1213 BC), after 19th dynasty.
Forms of the lunate head from the bottom of plate E are shown below.
Forms of the deep head from the bottom of plate F are shown below.
Forms of the merging head from the bottom of plate F are shown below.
Forms of the deep head are shown at the bottom of the plate.
Forms of the merging head are shown at the bottom of the plate.
Forms of the lunate head are shown at the bottom of the plate.
Forms of the deep head are shown at the bottom of the plate.
N. Scarabaeus, Smooth clypeus, Merging head, Plates IV—XXV,
Forms of the merging head are shown at the bottom of the plate.
Scarabaeus venerabilis is marked by ribbed elytra.
Scarabaeus venerabilis are also found as heart scarabs.
S – T. Catharsius, 13th – 16th dynasties, 1786 – 1570 BC, Plates XII - XVI
A definitely square head seems to belong to Catharsius.
Catharsius head begins in the middle of the xiith, and extends down to the xiiith and xvith dynasties respectively
S. Catharsius, Square head, Plates XII—XIII
T. Catharsius, A head, Plates XIII—XVI
U. Copris, Plates XIII—XVI, Hyksos age only, 13th - 16th dynasties, 1786 - 1570 BC
Occasionally the clypeus extends far back in a pointed form over the head, apparently imitated from the horn of the Copris.
V. Gymnopleurus, Side notch, Plates XVIII—XXV,
W. Gymnopleurus, Collar, Plates V—XXVI
X - Y. Hypselogenia, 12th Dynasty - Rameses II, 1991 - 1213 BC
Hypselogenia is rare in the 12th dynasty, and is not found later than Rameses II, 1991 - 1213 BC.
X. Hypselogenia, Regular, Plates XII—XVIII,
Y. Hypselogenia, Modified, Plates VI—XVIII,
Z. Scaraboids
AA. Heart Scarabs, after c. 1700 B.C.
The earliest heart scarabs appeared during the second intermediate period (c. 1700 B.C.) and became relatively more common during the New Kingdom The earliest heart scarabs appeared during the second intermediate period (c. 1700 B.C.) and became relatively more common during the New Kingdom.
Crescent line on the head, on about one in thirty of all periods; but one in eight in the Ethiopian and Saite age.
Scroll pattern - Common in the middle kingdom, arises first as a system under Pepi, but is never found continuous on his scarabs; and it is only in the 12th dynasty that the continuous scroll was developed, which became so general in the 13th - 14th, and which lingered on even through the 19th.
Continuous scroll pattern - Developed 12th dynasty, general in the 13th - 14th, lingered through the 19th.
Deep Y outline of the elytra is only found on scarabs of Khofra and Zedra (? Dad-ef-ra); the nearest approach to it is at the close of the xiith, and the xiiith dynasties, but that is less deep, and the form of the head and clypeus is then different.
The number of lines in the girdle, or in the division of the wing cases, is not exclusively characteristic of age; but certain types prevail at different times. One girdle line and two or three vertical, and two girdle with two vertical lines, prevail in the Middle Kingdom. Two girdle lines with one vertical is chiefly of Old Kingdom and Saite ages. The double girdle with three vertical lines is mainly of xxist to xxvth dynasties.V from the girdle to the side line begins in the 12th dynasty.
Palm-branch pattern on the back, in Class J, is only known from late xith to xivth dynasties, and in a one-sided form in the xvith.
One girdle line and two or three vertical, and two girdle with two vertical lines, prevail in the Middle Kingdom.
Two girdle lines with one vertical is chiefly of Old Kingdom and Saite ages.
The double girdle with three vertical lines is mainly of 21st to 25th dynasties.
Smooth backs decrease in the later periods.
Scarabs for sale in the Forum Ancient Coins shop.