Scheschi

Egyptian - Scarab with the Cartouche of Sheshi - Walters 4226 - Bottom (2).jpg
The ancient Egyptians believed that the dung beetle, the Scarabaeus sacer, was one of the manifestations of the sun god. Representations of these beetles were used as amulets, and for ritual or administrative purposes.

This scarab has a bottom inscription, which contains the name and title of the King Sheshi, as well as a formula wishing him life. The inscription is deeply carved with thick lines, and the shape of the hieroglyphs is somewhat clumsy. The layout is irregularly organized, and the top and bottom signs collide with the borderline. The incised circle-design that frames the inscription, is exact and symmetrically arranged, which contrasts with the more sloppy forms and arrangement of the hieroglyphs; additionally, the last two signs in the lower round are very compressed, and collide with the borderline. It is possible to explain the discrepancy between the exactly executed circle pattern and the inscription either with two different hands - of a scribe and of a pattern cutter - or, and more likely for such a small object, with the use of a kind of compass or stencil for the execution of the pattern. The highest point of the scarab's back is at the partition between pronotum (dorsal plate of the protorax) and elytron (wing cases). The small, semicircular head is framed by borderlines, and the side plates are trapezoidal. The clypeus (front plate) has four frontal serrations, and a central base notch. Two side-notches at shoulder height, which are short and not aligned, define the partition between pronotum and elytron. The raised, slender extremities are naturally formed, and show deeply incised, slightly irregular hatch lines for tibial teeth and pilosity (hair). The background between the legs is hollowed out, and the central triangle shifted slightly to the front. The base is symmetrically oval, and the drill-holes are framed.

The scarab is longitudinally pierced, was originally mounted or threaded, and used as an amulet. Such an amulet should on one side secure the existence and divine monarchy for this king, and on the other provide its private owner with his royal patronage.

The identification of Sheshi with one of the Hyksos rulers or their vassals is likely, but not secure.. The meaning of the circles' arrangement is difficult to determine; nevertheless, given its similarity to the hieroglyphic sign of the sun disk, it may assure renewal.

Scarab Sheshi EA42477 Hall.jpg
Glazed steatite scarab (type D2) bearing the cartouche of the hyksos ruler Maaibre (Sheshi):
- M3ˁ-jb-Rˁ
Possibly from Nile Delta, Second intermediate period. London, British Museum EA 42477.

Hiero Ca2.svg
Cartouche

Egyptian - Scarab of Sheshi - Walters 4215 - Bottom (2).jpg
The ancient Egyptians believed that the dung beetle, the Scarabaeus sacer, was one of the manifestations of the sun god. Representations of these beetles were used as amulets, and for ritual or administrative purposes.

This scarab is a typical example of the Second Intermediate Period. The highest point of the back is the pronotum (dorsal plate of the protorax). Two short side-notches at shoulder height define the partition between pronotum and elytron (wing cases). The prontum is somewhat asymmetrical, and the notches, which differ in shape and depth, are not aligned. The head sections consists of a trapezoidal head, rectangular eyes, trapezoidal side plates with curved outer edges, and a clypeus (front plate) with central base notch. The sides of the scarab show no extremities, but two deeply incised circular lines, which define the partition between the body and the oval shaped base.

The bottom inscription contains the name and title of the King Sheshi, as well as a formula wishing him life. The hieroglyphs are deeply carved and somewhat clumsy. The layout is somewhat unbalanced, and the top and bottom signs collide with the borderline.

The scarab is longitudinally pierced, was originally mounted or threaded, and used as an amulet. It should secure the existence and divine monarchy for this king, and provide its private owner with his royal patronage. There are many scarabs with the name of king Sheshi (e.g. Baltimore, Walters Art Museum, 42.17 and 42.26), which were found in Egypt, Nubia, and Palestine. Nevertheless, there are no other monuments or historical records with his name. It is possible that the throne name of Sheshi was Maat-ib-Re, and scarabs with this name were similar popular and widespread. The identification of Sheshi with a Hyksos rulers or one of the Hyksos vassals is likely, but not positive. Furthermore, some scholars considered interpreting the name as a writing variant of the name of the well-known Hyksos ruler Apepi.

Scarab Maaibre Sheshi.png
Scarab of Maaibre Sheshi, 1897 drawing by Flinders Petrie. The scarab gives Sheshi's prenomen Maaibre.

Canaanite - Scarab with Cartouche of King Sheshi - Walters 4217 - Bottom (2).jpg
The ancient Egyptians believed that the dung beetle, the Scarabaeus sacer, was one of the manifestations of the sun god. Representations of these beetles were used as amulets, and for ritual or administrative purposes.

This scarab is a typical example of the Second Intermediate Period. The bottom inscription contains the name and title of the King Sheshi, as well as a wish formula for his life. The highest point of the back is the pronotum (dorsal plate of the protorax). Two side-notches at shoulder height define the partition between pronotum and elytron (wing cases); these notches differ in shape and depth and are not aligned. The proportions of the top are slightly unbalanced, and the pronotum is asymmetrical Two incised circular lines define the partition between body and the oval base. The trapezoidal head is framed by borderlines and flanked by rectangular eyes. The trapezoidal side plates have curved outer edges, and the clypeus (front plate) a central base notch.

The scarab is longitudinally pierced, was originally mounted or threaded, and used as an amulet. Such an amulet should on one side secure the existence and divine monarchy for this king, and on the other provide its private owner with his royal patronage.

There are many scarabs with the name of king Sheshi (e.g. Baltimore, Walters Art Museum, 42.17 and 42.26), which were found in Egypt, Nubia, and Palestine; nevertheless, there are no other monuments or historical records. It is likely that the throne name of Sheshi was Maat-ib-Re, and scarabs with this name were similar popular and widespread. The identification of Sheshi with a Hyksos rulers or one of the Hyksos vassals is likely, but not positive. Furthermore, it was several times considered to interpret the name as a variant of the name of the Hyksos ruler Apepi.

Hiero Ca1.svg
Cartouche

Sheshi scarab KS 2763.png
Autor/Urheber: Khruner, Lizenz: CC BY-SA 3.0
Drawing of a scarab of pharaoh Sheshi. Reign of Sheshi (ca 1630 BCE), 14th or 15th dynasty, Second intermediate period.
- s3 Rˁ Ššj dj ˁnḫ - "The son of Ra, Sheshi, given life"

Museo civico archeologico, Bologna (Italy), KS 2763.

[ref: Jaeger, B. 1993, Les scarabées à noms royaux du Museo civico archeologico de Bologna. n°3]