Five Egyptian Scarabs from the Mycenaean Cemetery of Langada on Kos: Context, Function, and Cultural Significance

This article discusses five Egyptian scarabs recovered at the Mycenaean cemetery of Langada, located on the Greek island of Kos. On the one hand, this contribution provides new data on the production materials, date, and place of manufacture of the Langada scarabs. On the other, it explores for the first time the social and cultural significance of these items in the context of the Koan burial arena. While the funerary landscape, the typology of the tombs, and most of the pottery from Langada reflect the projected Mycenaean social identity of the Koan community, smaller personal objects, like the five Egyptian scarabs, express a more intimate association of this community with broader eastern Mediterranean traditions. The scarabs were likely placed in the Langada tombs during LH IIIC when, after the end of Mycenaean Palatial trade networks, a more heterogenous pattern of contacts emerged in the Aegean. The fluid structure of Koan society during LH IIIC was the ideal stage for the appearance of a diverse sense of belonging that, while not denying the Mycenaean identity of the island, favored the development of more multifaceted cultural associations