The specific hieroglyphs used for this scarab have been carefully chosen for their apotropaic values. They all have specific meanings which express goodwill and blessings upon the owner. The djed pillar stood for stability and durability and was associated with Osiris, the god of resurrection. The ankh symbol, another powerful sign used frequently, represented life. The collar sign, transliterated as ‘nbw’ was a bilateral sign that represented gold. It was associated with Horus and used as part of the pharaoh’s five royal titularies in the Horus of Gold title. Gold was also strongly associated with eternity.
To find out more about Ancient Egyptian amulets please see our relevant blog post: Egyptian Amulets and their Meanings.