scarab beetles
Ancient Egyptian icons
Scarab beetles are a large family of beetles, many species of which roll balls of dung in which they lay their eggs.
The ancient Egyptians observed this behavior and associated the beetles with the sun god Ra, who rolled the sun across the sky.
Sacred scarabs became powerful symbols of rebirth and transformation, depicted in amulets, seals, and tomb decorations.
Today scarab usually refers to these carved ornaments rather than the insects themselves.
- dungAnimal fecal matter
- mandiblesPaired arthropod mouthparts
- elytraHardened forewings of beetles
- sun godDivine personification of daylight's source
- antennaeSensory appendages on insects
chafers · rebirth · entomology · iridescent · transformation · carapaces · metamorphosis · exoskeletons · amulet · protective amulet · good luck charm · Ra · Book of the Dead · hieroglyph · insects · tomb · burial chamber · crawling
- insectsant, ants, bee, bees, butterfly
- arthropodsarthropod, arthropods, Arthropoda, insects, insect
- Egyptian Antiquitiesmummies, sarcophagi, sarcophagus, canopic jars, scarabs
- pollinatorsbees, bee, butterflies, butterfly, bumblebee
- Amber Inclusionsinclusions, insects, ants, flies, spiders
- Egyptian arttomb paintings, hieroglyphics, sarcophagi, scarabs, tomb painting
scarab beetlesbutterflies
Fluttering insects or nervousness
moths · dragonflies · mayflies · lacewings · mosquitoes
scarab beetleslocusts
Swarming crop-destroying grasshoppers
flies · maggots · cockroaches · vermin · pestilence
scarab beetlesbutterflies
Fluttering insects or nervousness
bees · hummingbirds · pollinators · aphids