Scarab from the Bronze Age Uluburun shipwreck -the first found in gold- bears the title of the queen Nefertiti. 14th century B.C. Photo: Tufan Turanli
Dendrochronological Dating of the Uluburun ShipThe unique gold scarab of Egypt's Queen Nefertiti, Akhenaten's beloved wife, appears to be fairly worn from use, which suggests that it had been around for some time before it was taken on board the ship. Furthermore, it may have been part of a jeweler's hoard, as it was discovered in the midst of complete, cut, and folded jewelry pieces and other bits of scrap precious metals. If the scarab was a part of the scrap hoard, which is debatable, it almost certainly arrived on the ship after Nefertiti's time, when her scarab would have been worthless except for its gold value.
by Dr. Cemal Pulak
Scarab from the Bronze Age Uluburun shipwreck -the first found in gold- bears the title of the queen Nefertiti. 14th century B.C. Photo: Tufan Turanli
