This ancient scarab was carved during a time of great unrest in Egypt's Second Intermediate Period.  According to the accompanying paperwork, it was found in the Egyptian Delta, an area overrun at the time by the Hyksos invaders.  Hand carved from soft steatite, the underside, carefully incised with wedjet eyes and lotus blossoms, carries messages of power and protection that perhaps reflects the political climate of the times.  During this time, the scarab was also carefully set in a ring of high karat gold.   As it was originally a ring, a shank of 14K gold was added in modern times in keeping with ancient design, allowing this lovely piece to be worn once more.