The scarabs found in Monte Sirai allow important interpretations of burial traditions. Alongside Sardinian productions, there are Egyptian productions, like in this case probably from Naucratis (XXVI Egyptian dynasty between the 7th and 6th century B.C.).

Recent studies have expanded possible origins from the Syrian-Palestine coast to the island of Cyprus. The scarab from tomb 50 is similar to one from another tomb, no. 66. There may have been, therefore, a family relationship between the people buried in them. The tombs are dated to the middle of the 6th century B.C.

Figs. 1-3 - The Phoenician necropolis, with tombs 50 and 66 ( BARTOLONI 2000, figs. 6, 15, 19).

The hieroglyphic composition of the scarab, attributed to the 26th dynasty, from right to left, shows a feather, a goose to the right and a sun disk, with the meaning of ‘Shu son of Ra”: the hidden one (cryptographic) carries the name of Amon. A similar scarab is in the catalogue of scarabs, without origin, in the National Archaeological Museum of Cagliari (no origin).

Figs. 4-6 - Scarabs from tombs 50 and 66 (BARTOLONI 2000, tables XXVI, XXXVII); scarab from the National Archaeological Museum of Cagliari (MATTHIAE SCANDONE 1975, table V: B11).