Egyptian Scarabs Discovered on Kuwait’s Failaka Island and Similar Finds from the Gulf Region

Abstract

Over the course of the last three decades, Ancient Egyptian scarabs have been discovered on Failaka Island off Kuwait, as well as at other sites in the Arabian Gulf. A scarab is the most expressive amulet of the cultural identity of ancient Egypt, revealing its influence and its cultural diffusion in the ancient world. Therefore, this paper discusses the reasons for the presence of such exotic products on the island and also answers the question about their origin. Were Failaka scarabs locally manufactured?What is their connection to the Levant? Are they a testimony to the interconnection between ancient Egypt and Arabia?