The scarab beetle of ancient Egypt is an emblem
of the creator Kheper. The word "Kheper"
denotes being, existence, creation or becoming
and the God Khepera is the self-existent maker
of all things. The worship of the scarab, which is
symbolic of resurrection and fertility, dates from
the earliest period of civilization in Egypt. It was
thought that a sacred beetle rolled the orb of the
sun across the sky, and a winged scarab was
associated with dawn and rebirth. In the ritual of
mummification, a scarab replaced the heart.
Carved scarabs served two major functions: as
amulets with protective and religious powers and
as personal seals that designated the property
and authority of the individual whose name was
placed upon it. In both cases the power ascribed
to the scarab was very great. In life it served as
the signature of their owner and was thought to
bring prosperity and in the afterlife it insured
continuous re-birth through eternity. A lovely
carved design appears on the under side of this
ancient scarab. Down the center is a double
incised line twisted into a rope shape. At each
corner other incised parallel lines form angles
with rounded corners. Single incised lines come
to a point at the center of the scarab on each
side of the rope pattern. We can only guess at
the imaginative thoughts that went through the
ancient artist's creative mind as he carved this
delicate scarab. However, the spirited energy
expressed through this amulet can still be felt
today, capturing our imagination and sending it
back to a time when the pharaohs ruled a mighty
kingdom and scarabs such as this blessed both
the king and the farmer alike.
- (FJ.3453)
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