The ancient Egyptian scarab depicts the Egyptian dung beetle which is linked to the mythological death and rebirth of the sun god. The hieroglyphic sign represented by the dung beetle 𓆣 forms the ancient Egyptian verb “ḫpr” (Kheper) meaning “to come into being,”. The same sign also represents the deified morning sun -Khepri, who was thought to be reborn every morning in the form of the scarab beetle, bringing light and life to the land.
Carnelian is a semi-precious stone that was used frequently by the Egyptians of all social classes, through Dynastic Egypt until the Roman period. It was used abundantly for amulets, beads, small figurines and inlay works and it was prized despite its ample use. Referring to Ancient Egyptian texts, carnelian, because of its fiery colour, was often associated with the blood-lust and rage of Egyptian deities. Furthermore, carnelian was also closely connected to the sun god, Re. It was a stone used often in jewellery for sun disks and to represent the eye of Horus.
To find out more about the use of carnelian in ancient Egypt, please see our relevant blog post: The Significance of Carnelian in Ancient Egyptian Culture.
