This scarab pendant with a necklace was discovered in the tomb of Queen Ahhotep at the necropolis of Dra’ Abu el-Naga, near Luxor.
Queen Ahhotep was the mother of King Ahmose I, who reigned c. 1550–1525 BCE as the first pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty, marking the beginning of Egypt’s New Kingdom.

Queen Ahhotep was one of the most influential royal women of the early 18th Dynasty, celebrated for her crucial role during the turbulent period that marked the end of the Hyksos occupation in Egypt.

As the wife of King Seqenenre Tao and mother of Ahmose I, the founder of the New Kingdom, she likely acted as regent when her son was still young, helping to maintain stability and unity in the realm.

Her funerary goods—especially the gold jewelry, ceremonial weapons, and the famous golden flies of valor found in her tomb—suggest she was honored for courage and leadership, perhaps even for supporting military campaigns.

Queen Ahhotep’s legacy reflects the strength, authority, and political importance royal women could hold in ancient Egypt, making her one of the most remarkable queens in Egyptian history.