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"I am Khepri in the morning, Ra at noon, and Atum in the evening."
Of all the sacred animals in Egypt, the humble dung beetle was perhaps the most potent. Observed rolling balls of dung across the desert sands, the Egyptians saw a poetic reflection of the sun god rolling the disk of the sun across the sky. Thus, the scarab became the ultimate symbol of spontaneous creation, resurrection, and the rising sun.
The Scarab Beetle (Scarabaeus sacer) was connected to the god Khepri ("He Who Comes Into Being"). Because young beetles seemed to emerge miraculously from the dung balls (where eggs had been laid), the Egyptians believed they were self-created, just like the sun god who created himself out of nothingness at the beginning of time.
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A Microcosm of the Universe
The beetle's behavior was a perfect metaphor for Egyptian cosmology.
- The Action: Just as the beetle pushes its ball of food/eggs from east to west, Khepri pushes the sun disk from the eastern horizon to the western underworld.
- The Result: Just as life emerges from the dead matter of the dung, the sun is reborn every morning from the dead matter of the underworld.
The Heart Scarab: Silence in Judgment
The most important funerary use of this symbol was the Heart Scarab. This was a large amulet, usually made of green stone (symbolizing vegetation and new life), placed over the heart of the mummy within the bandages.
Spell 30B
The flat underside of the Heart Scarab was inscribed with a specific spell from the Book of the Dead (Spell 30B). It addressed the heart directly, commanding it not to betray the owner during the Weighing of the Heart ceremony.
"O my heart of my mother... Do not stand up as a witness against me! Do not oppose me in the tribunal! Do not be hostile to me in the presence of the Keeper of the Balance!"
Seals of Office and Protection
Beyond the tomb, scarabs were the most common personal items in Ancient Egypt.
- Seals: The flat bottom of a small scarab stone was often carved with the name of a Pharaoh or an official. It could be pressed into wet clay to seal documents or jars.
- Commemorative Scarabs: Pharaoh Amenhotep III issued hundreds of large "news scarabs" to announce major events across the empire, such as his marriage to Queen Tiye or his successful lion hunts.
- Amulets: Millions of small faience scarabs were worn by the living as good luck charms, protecting them and ensuring rebirth.