The scarab beetle has been a symbolic motif in Egyptian jewelry for thousands of years. The scarab is a symbol of regeneration and rebirth, thus scarab jewelry was believed to bring protection, luck and vitality to the wearer. Egyptian soldiers were given scarabs before going into battle. Girls were given scarabs for fertility. Scarab beads and styles were commonly fashioned into bracelets, pendants and rings.
Scarab jewelry was created from a wide range of stones and materials. Archeologists have found examples of scarab beads and artifacts made from clay, soapstone, green basalt, glass, bone, precious metals, wood, semi-precious gemstones and lots of other kinds of stone. The colors of scarabs were symbolic so plain stone was sometimes glazed or enameled in vivid colors. The most prevalent colors identified in enameled scarab jewelry had been green (symbolizing new life), blue (for the sky and the River Nile), and red (for the sun). In addition to enamels, brightly coloured semi-precious gemstones had been utilised in scarab jewelry making including lapis lazuli, amethyst, carnelian, agate, jasper, onyx and turquoise. Currently, scarab jewelry is nevertheless created from gemstones, enameled materials, and precious metals.
The symbolism in scarab jewelry derives mainly from its association with the Egyptian god of the rising sun, Khepri. 1 sort of scarab, the "Sacred Scarab" or dung beetle, lays its eggs in a ball of dung which it rolls along the ground and finally into a hole exactly where the eggs hatch and new beetles emerge from. This scarab was noticed as the earthly representation of Khepri in that it was believed that this god rolled the sun across the sky every single day, therefore renewing life. The scarab is also connected with astrology and may perhaps have preceded the crab as the symbol we know as Cancer.
Scarabs had been also applied in ancient Egypt for protection in the afterlife. Massive "heart scarabs" with hieroglyphic inscriptions on the underside, were placed across the chest of the deceased in the tomb. They had been also found in place of the heart in mummified bodies. These heart scarabs were believed to guard the dead in the final judgment. The most renowned of these was a chest or "pectoral" scarab located in Thebes in the tomb of King Tutankhamen. At present, heart scarabs are valued for ornamental purposes, and a great number of still bear hieroglyphs and symbolic carvings on the underside.
Considering that Egyptian history and art are nonetheless studied nowadays, the fascination with the scarab continues. Scarab jewelry and decor are still made in Egypt and by craftsmen about the globe.
