Cleveland Museum of Art

Wild Bull Hunt Scarab of Amenhotep III

Date

c. 1391–1353 BCE

Medium

steatite

Culture

Egypt, New Kingdom (1540–1069 BCE), Dynasty 18, reign of Amenhotep III (1390–1352 BCE)

Department

Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Large commemorative scarabs are characteristic of Amenhotep III’s reign. About 200 are known, and all are inscribed with texts on their undersides, recording significant events in the life of the king and queen. This particular scarab is one of only 5 known examples that describe a royal bull hunt undertaken in his second year of rule, in which the king killed 96 bulls. More than just a pastime, the king’s success as a hunter symbolized the triumph of royal order over the forces of nature and chaos. The variation in tone appears to be related to inclusions and pigmentation in the stone.

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