Egyptian Scarab

Throughout the ages, certain symbols have been used to communicate hidden mystical / metaphysical messages. Symbols possess an esoteric language, a secret code, whose meaning goes beyond mundane understanding into the realms of the divine. And while these symbols are often many centuries old, their meanings and power have remained essentially the same.

The sacred Egyptian symbol for spontaneous creation, “Divine Manifestation”, rebirth, renewal and resurrection, the scarab was also a symbol of protection in this life and the next.

Sacred to all Egyptian Sun Gods, scarab amulets, talismans and jewelry provided the wearer with both the protection of the Sun and its creative life-force, as well as physical strength and courage.

According to their ancient texts, the Egyptians believed that the scarab beetle came into being spontaneously from balls of dung.  They associated this with their religious ideology of self-creation and resurrection. The scarab was also associated with rebirth, renewal and resurrection.

The scarab beetle was worshiped under the name Khepri (meaning 'he who has come into being' or 'he who came forth from the earth'). As a self-created deity, Khepri became synonymous with the creator-god, Atum, of earlier times.

Furthermore, in the same way that the scarab beetle pushed a ball of dung before it, the scarab was considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians because they believed that it mirrored the way the great god Ra — or his avatar Khepri, himself depicted as a scarab — rolled the sun across the sky each day.

Hence, the scarab became an important symbol of creation, resurrection and everlasting life in the religious mythology of ancient Egypt. Small jars and coffins containing dried (mummified) scarabs were often placed in Egyptian tombs as part of their ancient funeral rites to ensure eternal resurrection

The scarab was personified by Khepri, a sun-god associated with resurrection and new life. The ancient Egyptians believed that the scarab beetle came into being of itself from a ball of dung (the idea of self-creation).

It was worshiped under the name of Khepri, which means 'he who has come into being' or 'he who came forth from the earth'. The god Khepri was associated with the creator-god Atum and was regarded as a form of the sun-god Ra.

Just as the beetle pushed its ball of dung over the ground, so Khepri in the form of a scarab beetle, it was thought, rolled the solar disc across the sky each day.

The scarab and flying-scarab hieroglyphs were used in Egyptian texts to represent the name of the creator-god, Khepri, and also to represent the word kheprer - meaning 'flying beetle' or 'sacred scarab' - and the word kheper - meaning 'become' or 'manifestation of '.

The name Khepri (or Kheperi, or Khepera) means "The Being, The Extant." The name Khepri is related to other words of the same root, e.g. kheper "to exist, to come to existence" and khepru "transformations, metamorphoses."

The scarab has remained a favorite amulet throughout history, and hundreds of thousands of these tiny figures have been found in the Egyptian soil. Most often, their flat base is engraved with a beneficial inscription, which enhances their auspicious power.

Stone scarabs were often placed in Egyptian tombs as a symbol of the deceased rebirth into the afterlife, and jewelry with the beetle has often been found in tombs as well.

A scarab amulet was made of blue gold and usually worn on the chest. A magical spell inscribed on the bottom of the amulet to make sure the deceased heart wouldn't reveal any damning information when their heart was weighed during their judgment by the gods.

Living Egyptians also wore stone scarabs as a symbol of protection in this life and the next. Today, scarab inspired carvings and jewelry abound.