The scarab held special significance for the Egyptians as a representation of the the creator and solar deity, Khepri. The scarab beetle rolls its eggs in a ball of dung along the ground, which the Egyptians held as symbolic of Khepri pushing the sun across the sky. As baby beetles were seen to emerge from the dung, scarabs were thought capable of spontaneous creation, further linking them to Khepri through his function as a creator god. From the Middle Kingdom (c. 2055-1650 BC) onward, the scar ...click for details
Thutmose (or Thutmosis) III was one of Egypt's most celebrated pharaohs. He ruled during the 18th Dynasty from 1504-1450 B.C., early in the New Kingdom period. Egypt had previously been an insular, xenophobic society, but the intrusion of the Hyksos peoples into the Nile delta during the 2nd Intermediate Period brought updated technology and awareness of the wealth that was available in the outside world. Accordingly, the early New Kingdom pharaohs focused on driving out the Hyksos and conqu ...click for details
The pharaoh Amenhotep III had the good luck to be born into kingship at the height of ancient Egypt's success during the 18th Dynasty. His grandfather, Tuthmosis III, had won significant victories in Syria that allowed Egypt to proper through trade and the mining of valuable raw materials. Accordingly, much of Amenhotep's energy was focused inwards on domestic concerns, especially building projects. He is credited with building the temple of Amun at modern Luxor, making major additions a ...click for details
Some of the finest containers produced by the Egyptians were made of alabaster, a material prized for its translucence and affordable only by the very wealthy. Egyptian "alabaster" is actually travertine, a crystalline calcite-based rock. Travertine was used by the ancient Egyptians throughout the entire history of their civilization. The extensive use of this material was undoubtedly due to the fact that it is a very soft material in terms of indentation hardness, it is easily worked, ...click for details
