- Bernard Doherty, Artist in gold. - Click on the image to go to the next one.
The Inspiration. The Scarab beetle is a common motif in the religious iconography of the ancient Egyptians. It represented the sun god and the ball of dung it pushed the sun. Concealed beneath the twelfth layer of the linen bandages which enveloped the king Tutankhamun's mummy were three pendants, one lying over the centre of the thorax and the others supporting it on the left and right sides. The middle pendant bore the Eye of Horus flanked by a vulture and a cobra, the pendant over the right side of the body was in the form of a falcon with wings curved upwards and a solar disk with uraeus on its head, and the third pendant, the one that has inspired this piece. King Tutankhamun's pendant has a winged scarab holding in its forelegs the lunar disk and crescent and in its back legs the basin. Between the scarab and the basin, attached to each of them, are three gold bars. It is claimed that the pendant represents the throne-name of Tutankhamun, Nebkheperure. In this piece some of the representational elements have been omitted and additional wings have been added. The Kings pendant is made of solid gold decorated on the outer surface with cloisonné work of lapis lazuli, carnelian and turquoise-coloured glass. In the lunar disk alone the gold is alloyed with silver. All the details of the elements in its composition are finely engraved in the gold base on the inner surface. This interpretation of the Kings pendant is made of sterling silver that has been gilded and features the difficult technique of plique a' jour enameling. (The Trustees of the British Museum: Treasures of Tutankhamun London 1972) |
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