Phoenician protective talisman with a silver ring and soap rock stamp. This was the most popular type of amulet at the time. Its function was to protect whoever was in contact with it and its power lay both in morphology - the scarab transformed into the epiphany of creation - and in iconography. They originated in the Nile valley and became frequent items all over the Mediterranean from the first half of the first millennium B.C.
Interested in Natural history?
Get updates with your personalized Culture Weekly
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.