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Ex Harlan Berk 223rd Buy or Bid Sale, lot 522 (misattributed to Seti II)
The attribution is, however, wrong. The Scarab shows the throne name of Pharaoh Shoshenq I, the first pharaoh of the 22nd dynasty. He ruled from about BC 942 - 920 and was famous for his campaign against Israel and Judah.
After the death of Solomon in 930 BC, Judah was under the control of Rehoboam (Solomon's son), while Israel was ruled by Jeroboam I, and both of these kingdoms were attractive prospects for the new Egyptian ruler.
Apparently, Jeroboam I had led an open rebellion against Solomon before his death, weakening both kingdoms. Sheshonq defeated both in 925 BC. As a result, Shoshenq I is the only Egyptian pharaoh mentioned in the Hebrew bible, where he appears under the name variant Shishak.
One would have to look back to the reign of Ramesses III in Egypt's 20th Dynasty to find an equal to this victorious campaign. It opened with an engagement in the area of Bitter Lakes against Bedouins. Afterwards, he went first against Judah, setting out from Gaza with 1,200 chariots and an army that included Libyans and Nubians. He penetrated some distance into the Negev, capturing the principal towns of Judah before arriving at the walls of Jerusalem.
He surrounded the city but was bought off by being given, according to the Bible 1 Kings 14:26, "the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the King's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made". Apparently, the only treasure that Rehoboam was able to retain was the most sacred Ark of the Covenant.
Now, Sheshonq I turned his attention to Israel, forcing Jeroboam, who had once been under Sheshonq I's protection, to flee over the Jordan River. He was nevertheless captured by an Egyptian patrol. Sheshonq finally halted at Megiddo, which had been conquered by Tuthmosis III 500 years before. There, he erected a victory stele in the manner of his predecessors before marching southwards over Mount Carmel and returning to Egypt by way of Ashkelon and Gaza.
The 22nd dynasty was a dynasty of foreigners (Lybians) and the time is counted as the third intermediate period. Hence, I thinks the Scarab will have been made during the reign of Shoshenq I. The scarab is a rare piece of Eygptian and biblical history.
The hieroglyphs read: Hedj kheper Ra setep en Ra, which can be translated as "The bright one is a manifestation of Ra, chosen by Ra"
A similar scarab was found in an archaeological excavation:
Collection : Antiquities - Scarabs