The Scarab

An amulet in the shape of a scarab beetle, one of the most important and common symbols in ancient Egypt. The scarab was associated with the god Khepri — a form of the sun god — and with the concept of rebirth and the rising sun.

The scarab amulet originates in ancient Egypt, where the dung beetle's behaviour of rolling balls of dung was connected to the sun god's daily journey across the sky. The scarab became one of the most pervasive symbols in Egyptian material culture.

The ancient Egyptians observed the dung beetle rolling balls of dung and connected this to the sun god Ra rolling the sun across the sky. The scarab beetle (Kheper) became associated with the rising sun, with the idea of becoming or coming into being, and with rebirth. The Egyptian word for scarab (ḫpr) was connected to the verb 'to become' or 'to transform.'

Scarab amulets were worn in life and placed with the dead. Heart scarabs — large scarabs inscribed with spells — were placed on the chest of the deceased to ensure the heart would not testify against them in the afterlife judgment. Scarabs were also used as seals.

Today the scarab is used in jewellery and art, often as a symbol of transformation, protection, or rebirth. Its original religious context is sometimes lost.

The scarab is sometimes treated as a generic 'lucky beetle.' In its original context, it was a deeply meaningful religious symbol tied to specific Egyptian cosmological beliefs — not a general good-luck charm.

The scarab is one of the most iconic symbols of ancient Egyptian civilisation, appearing in jewellery, funerary art, and administrative seals. It reflects the Egyptian observation of nature and its mapping onto cosmic principles.

The scarab is an ancient symbol from a religion no longer practiced in its original form. It can be appreciated as a symbol of transformation and rebirth, but its Egyptian religious context should be acknowledged.