Provenance:
Private Collection, New York, acquired in the 1970s; thence by descent in 2007.

In ancient times, glyptics with inscriptions were thought to be magical and were worn as protective amulets. The underside of this scarab is engraved with a depiction of a seated Horus encircled by two falcons, a lion, a scorpion, and a Greek gnostic inscription. The inscription reads, "βαινχωωων," translating to "The Soul of Darkness." For a related gnostic scarab, see Walters Art Museum, Baltimore [acc. no. 42.872].