The scarab beetle was an exceedingly popular symbol in the art of Ancient Egypt, thought to represent the sun god, Ra. The Ancient Egyptians believed that the scarab beetle rolling its ball of dung across the dessert mirrored the journey of the sun god, Ra, across the sky from day to night. As the beetle laid its eggs within the dung, it became a symbol of rebirth and regeneration. Accordingly, the sun god Ra was often depicted as a scarab beetle, or as a man with a scarab head, and the insect was believed to be lucky and protective.
The swivel ring has origins in both Phoenicia and Egypt and was an extremely popular accessory across the Mediterranean basin in Antiquity. Similar items have been found in Cyprus, Greece and Etruria, as well as in Egypt.
