Hi Explorer,
From the photos presented, I would say the
scarab is Second Intermediate Period,
Hyksos, circa 16th Dynasty. The
scarab bears a common
cross motif, but what is unusual are the hieroglyphs: "
Nefer" meaning beauty, at one end; but, the other end is too blurry to determine. The shaded areas may represent a lotus or papyrus. For
types similar to yours, see:
Niccacci, Alviero O.F.M, trans. Godfrey Kloetzli, O.F.M.
Hyksos Scarabs, Studium Biblicus Franciscanum, Museum 2, Jerusalem, 1980: Numbers 309 to 317.
Russ