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.
Floral motifs, scroll patterns and circle designs were exceedingly common on Middle Kingdom scarabs. They were especially popular within the 12th and 13th Dynasties and continued to be used into the Hyksos period and New Kingdom. Scroll imagery did not have a specific meaning but was often paired with other important symbols, usually with their own apotropaic values.
To find out more about Ancient Egyptian amulets please see our relevant blog post: Egyptian Amulets and their Meanings.
