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 desert mirrored the journey of the sun across the sky from day to night. As the beetle laid its eggs within the dung, it became a symbol of rebirth and regeneration. These scarab beetle amulets were made in various forms, such as heart scarabs, commemorative scarabs, and scarab amulets, thus catering to different functions. Scarab amulets were believed to have magical rejuvenating properties, used by both the living and the dead.
Representations of an enthroned king and their subjects were common on Ramesside scarabs, and based on the style of the incisions in combination with the large numbers found in Egypt, these amulets are considered to have been mass-produced. Such scenes may convey the desire of the seal-amulet’s owner to show that he, too, wishes to express his respect in order to obtain royal or divine support.
