Scepter of King Khasekhemwy

Items of royal insignia, such as crowns, scepters, maces, and distinctive kilts, were established in Egypt's earliest dynasties to identify the king. They would continue to serve as potent symbols of royal authority and as protective implements to ward off hostile forces throughout Egyptian history. Although such regalia appear often in artistic representations, few actual examples, like this scepter made in late Dynasty 2 for King Khasekhemwy and discovered in his tomb at Abydos, have survived. The scepter is composed of highly polished tubular beads of veined brown-red sardonyx held together by a copper rod. A thick band of gold surrounds every fourth bead, giving the appearance of horizontal stripes. The delicate construction of this object indicates that it was made for ceremonial use only. When found, it was broken in two pieces, the larger one seen here and a 12.7 cm (five-inch) segment now in the Cairo Museum.

Familiar items of royal insignia, such as crowns, scepters, maces, and distinctive clothing, were established during Egypt's earliest dynasties to identify the king. Although such regalia are often represented in art, few actual examples have survived. This scepter, composed of polished tubes of sarrdonyx and gold supported by a copper rod, was discovered in the tomb of king Khasekhemwy at Abydos and is the earliest such object known from Egypt.