Egyptian scarab
Ancient dung beetle
A scarab is a beetle, and in ancient Egypt the dung-rolling scarab was sacred—symbolic of the sun god rolling the sun across the sky.
An Egyptian scarab is a carved stone or ceramic amulet in the shape of this beetle, often inscribed on the flat underside with hieroglyphs or designs.
They served as seals, jewelry, and protective charms, placed with the dead to ensure safe passage to the afterlife.
The museum's collection includes dozens of Egyptian scarabs from the New Kingdom period.
- beetleHard-winged insect
- amuletWorn protective token
- protective amuletCharm worn for safety
- dungAnimal fecal matter
- hieroglyphAncient Egyptian picture-writing symbol
tomb · mummy · Valley of the Kings · pharaoh · King Tut · Ra · sun · rebirth · afterlife · Book of the Dead · turquoise · lapis · precious stones · gold · cartouche · pyramid · Nile · talisman
- gem carvingcameo, intaglio, gem cutting, relief carving, raised relief
Egypt, Egyptian, Egyptians, Egyptology, Egyptologist, scarabs