Individual vs. Society
Scarab amulet with Egyptian royal name, found in the tomb of a Philistine noble, which raises questions about his cultural identity.
Courtesy of UCL Institute of Archaeology / Images © Ken Walton
The Conflict
How does an individual develop their own identity when they may only be exposed to the one they are born in? Cultural identity within a society is easy to define, it is the arts and manifestations of a particular group of people, at a particular time. But how do we fight against the culture of the society in order to obtain an individual identity?
The Object
The object in question is a scarab found in tomb belonging to a Philistine noble from Ancient Palestine. It is made from a type of rock called steatite and was worn on a ring. It was most likely used as an amulet. On the underside is an inscription which refers to the Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III. There would have been thousands of scarabs like this one that were commonly reproduced and sold by merchants.
The Relevance
Ultimately, this scarab is symbolic of the Egyptian pharaoh, yet it was found in the tomb of a Philistine noble. Even beyond the established military conflict between the two opposing nations, the fact that the Palestinian noble would choose to be buried with the ‘enemies object’ suggest the idea of a conflicted identity.
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At the time (15th century BC), Egypt and Palestine were enemies. After numerous battles, the Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose III established permanent control over Palestine. As part of this invasion, Palestine assimilated the Egyptian culture, which also resulted in the increase in the presence of Egyptian objects within the occupied territory.
The confusion arises as to why a Palestine Philistine would cherish an artefact that symbolises the Egyptian enemy, to such an extent that he wished to be buried with it. However, the Philistines actually embraced the foreign culture that came with the conquest, and were known for adopting aspects of other civilisations, including objects such as the scarab. The use of Egyptian objects within Palestine remained even after the departure of the Egyptians, indicating that the locals understood their significance and appreciated the so-called opposing culture.
It seems that the presence of the scarab in the Palestinian tomb is evidence of this cultural assimilation of the Egyptian culture by the Philistine. Rather than representing an ongoing battle between two opposing ideals, the object appears to instead represent an attempt at solving the conflict. It shows a juxtaposition of two cultures, and how one individual held onto an object, despite it being representative of the enemy. The scarab was used by its owner as an amulet against the protection of death from a successful foreign ruler. It thus shows how one’s identity can fight against its own environment in an attempt to embrace other cultures. But how important is to fight against our own culture in order to gain our own identity? Should we embrace other cultures or would it be better to stick to our own? Why is it that this conflict even arises?