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.
The hierakosphinx was a term coined by Herodotus and related specifically to the mythical part-hawk, part-lion beast that was depicted on Egyptian sculpture. Horus the Elder was most often depicted as a hierakosphinx. Sphinxes were a potent, apotropaic symbol in ancient Egypt, linked to the strength and power of the pharaoh. Within the artistic repetoire, the shpinx was depicted in a number of ways, including: as a crowned pharaoh; as a falcon-headed figure; or as a ram-headed representation of the god Amun-Re.
To find out more about Ancient Egyptian amulets please see our relevant blog post: Egyptian Amulets and their Meanings.