Legend and Significance of Scarab Jewelry

The word scarab is derived from “scarabaeus” which was the word given to the dung beetle. Scarabs are depictions of the beetle, which were seen as very important in ancient Egypt and were a part of their rituals of life and death. It was later known as the sacred scarab. Like many symbol jewelry hailing from ancient Egypt, scarab jewelry has an interesting legend behind it.

Dung beetles were venerated by the ancient Egyptians because they seemed to be able to make life out of nothing. The beetles had a peculiar habit of rolling their dung, dragging it along (as it seemed), and depositing them in burrows. From this ball of dung, a new beetle would emerge. Life out of nothing. To the ancient Egyptians, this type of power can only be given by a god, and since it was bestowed on the tiny creature, the creature must be important.

The ability of the beetle to create life was attributed to the god of the midnight sun, Khephra, sometimes Khepera, which means “he who has come forth” since the beetle had this trait. Apart from that, the act of pushing or rolling the dung was likened to Khepera's job of pushing the sun across the night sky in order for it to rise again, similar to that of the Greek god Helios. As the sun “comes forth” it too brings life.

Because of the similarities between beetle and belief in Khepera, symbols or depictions of the beetle were though to represent death and rebirth. When worn by the living, it symbolized a long life with good health. When used in a ritual to bury the dead (it was often placed over the hearts of the dead), it symbolized the guidance of the god Khepera, who could lead the path across the dark night of death, as he knew the way.

Science and years of study has since proved that dung beetles cannot actually do what the ancient Egyptians thought they did. In fact, female dung beetles lay their eggs in the balls of dung, and the hatched beetle larvae feed on this for food. Once the dung is consumed, the baby beetle is quite old and ready to go out on its own. So it seemed as if the dung disappeared (as it was eaten) and in its place, new life appeared.

However, the significance of scarab jewelry remains. Each piece carries with it the legends of ancient Egypt. It also shows modern scientists that ancient Egyptians observed nature very closely, and we're awed by its wonders. Perhaps this is why the the scarab came to be known to stand for truth. This meaning probably evolved as Egyptians began to explore their world and study nature futher, and they found that like the dung beetle, nothing is as it seems.