Seals and scarabs

Sealing and stamping was an important part of Egypt’s daily life. Royal and official institutional seals played a significant role in the administration of the state and in the hierarchical system. Seals of individual officials, private persons, and families not only marked personal property, but could define the position of the owner in the society, as well. Besides such real seals, amulet seals and pseudo-seals exist, which have no administrative function and were not made for sealing. Egyptian seal-devices are divided into two main types: cylinder and stamp seals. The Egyptians used cylinder seals since the Predynastic period; they were particularly popular during the Old Kingdom for royal, administrative, and private use. Stamp seals were developed in the late Old Kingdom. They have either a geometrical or a figurative top, and a flat bottom, which is inscribed, figuratively decorated, or ornamented with patterns. Figurative seals are either zoomorphic or anthropomorphic, and usually depict icons, such as heads or full figures; they also display motifs, particularly figurative pairs or small groups. The most famous figurative type was the scarab and scarab-related parallel types with oval bases, such as scaraboids (with figurative, regularly curved, non-scarab back) and cowroids (with cowry shell shaped back). Special scarab types with specific functions emerged over time, for example, heart scarabs, winged scarabs, or pectorals with scarab centrepiece.