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Ancient Egyptians - The Scarab |
Picture of the Scarab Amulets
Facts about the Ancient Egyptian Scarab Talisman Ancient Egypt - The Scarab Amulet Fact Sheet Fact 1: The Scarab was worn as a protective talisman by both the living and the deceased and the most popular talisman of the ancient Egyptians . Fact 2: Meaning of the Scarab: To the ancient Egyptians the Scarab was one of the most potent of all amulets and symbolized the sun, resurrection, transformation and protection. Fact 3: The scarab aided its wearer with the power of "eternal renewal of life." It was also worn by the Egyptian warriors in their signet rings for health, strength, and virility. Fact 4: There were many different types of scarab amulets used in ancient Egypt. The talismans and amulets that featured a scarab were heart scarabs, scarab seals, winged scarabs, signet rings, marriage scarabs, scarabs with spells, scarabs with good wishes and scarabs decorated with figures of gods and sacred animals. Fact 5: The scarab symbol was derived from a common Egyptian dung beetle that deposited its eggs in a ball of clay or dung. The burial of its ball was symbolic of the setting sun from which new life arises with each dawn.
Fact 6: The action of the beetle in rolling this ball along the ground was compared with the sun in its progress across the sky. Under the heat of the sun the ball which contained the egg of the beetle hatched out and so the scarab became the symbol of creation. Fact 7: Khepri was the name of the scarab-headed creator and sun god who was depicted in ancient Egyptian art as a human with the head of a scarab beetle or in the form of just the scarab beetle. Khepri was likened to the scarab beetle, only, instead of rolling a ball of dung, Khepri rolled the sun from the Underworld to the eastern sky, renewing the sun and enabling life to thrive on earth. Ancient Egyptian Magic - The Scarab Fact Sheet
Picture of Khepri Ancient Egypt - The Scarab Amulet Fact Sheet Fact 8: The Heart Scarab amulet was much larger than ordinary scarab talismans and often flanked with the wings of a falcon. Fact 9: A Heart Scarab amulet was often placed over the heart of mummies on the day of their internment and inscribed with a spell from the Book of the Deadbeseeching the heart with the text "do not stand as a witness against me." Scarab talismans with green stones and rims of gold were a popular choice of design for the wealthy. Other scarabs were made of green basalt, green granite, limestone, green marble and green, purple or blue faience glass. Fact 10: The ancient Egyptians believed that a sacred heart scarab amulet would provide them with courage in the Underworld when the heart was weighed against the feather of truth during the Ceremony of Justification in the Hall of the Two Truths when the a long series of 'Negative Confessions' had to be repeated. Fact 11: A scarab amulet was also placed under the coffin as a protective device so that no evil spirit could harm the dead in his journey through the underworld. Fact 12: Pharaohs used the back of scarabs to commemorate famous historical events. Fact 13: A Talisman or an amulet can be described as a religious object consisting of a stone or other small item, often inscribed or carved with magical inscriptions, magic signs, magic symbols, formula or sacred text. Ancient Egyptian Magic - The Scarab Fact Sheet Ancient Egyptian Talismans & Amulets Egypt and the Scarab Amulet and Talisman |
