Scarabs were popular amulets and impression seals in Ancient Egypt. They survive in large numbers and, through their inscriptions and typology, they are an important source of information for archaeologists and historians of the ancient world. Minoan seal-stones are gemstones, or near-gem-quality stones produced in the Minoan civilization. Seal-stones, with intricate carvings in Minoan style showing goddesses, altars, reeds, lions and bulls, some with bull-jumpers soaring over the bull's horns - all in Minoan style and probably made in Crete. Illustration by the British archeologist Arthur Evans comparing 12th Dynasty Egyptian scarabs dating from 2nd century BC, and early Cretan seal-stones of a similar date. Evans saw the similarities and hypothesized that Egyptian scarabs influenced the design of Cretan pictograms. Scarabs were found during excavations in Crete indicating that a close relationship existed between the Minoan and Egyptian civilizations.