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The sacred beetle of ancient Egypt, the scarab is
an emblem of the creator, Khepera. The word
kepher denotes Being, Existence, Creation, or
Becoming, and the god Kephera 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. Carved scarabs served two
major functions: as amulets with protective and
religious powers, and as personal seals, which
designated the property and authority of the
individual whose name was placed upon them. In
both cases, the power ascribed to the scarab was
very great—in life they served as the signature of
their owner and were thought to bring
prosperity, and in the afterlife they ensured
rebirth through eternity.
Inscribed with a design depicting a recumbant
ibex, a type of deer found in the desert.
- (S.010)
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