Colossal sculpture of a scarab
- Audio guide stop: 201
- Gallery: Room 4
- Date: 4th century BC (?)
- Object type: sculpture
- Materials: diorite
- Museum number: EA74
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you stands a colossal sculpture of a scarab beetle, carved from heavy diorite. At nearly a meter tall and over 2,300 kilograms in weight, this is a truly monumental object.
The beetle is likely a representation of Khepri, the ancient Egyptian deity associated with the morning sun and rebirth. Scarabs were powerful symbols in Egyptian culture, often linked to transformation and renewal.
This extraordinary sculpture comes from ancient Egypt but was acquired much later in Istanbul. Historical records show it entered British collections in the early 19th century through Lord Elgin. The piece eventually found its way into the British Museum, where it has been displayed for centuries.
Despite its origins, the journey of this sculpture reflects the movement of artifacts through history and the complex narratives behind their collection.
See it in person
Colossal sculpture of a scarab is on display in Room 4 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and type its audio guide stop number, 201, from the gallery label, or take a photo of it, to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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