The scarab beetle of ancient Egypt is an emblem of the creator Kheper. The word “Kheper” denotes being, existence, creation or becoming and the god Khepera is the self-existent maker of all things. By far the most important amulet in ancient Egypt was the scarab, symbolically as sacred to the Egyptians as the cross is to Christians. Based upon the dung beetle, this sacred creature forms a ball of dung around its semen and rolls it in a large ball over the sand dropping it into its burrow. The female lays her eggs on the ground and covers them with the excrement ball that is consumed by the larvae that emerge in the following days as if miraculously reborn. In the life cycle of the beetle, the Ancient Egyptians envisioned a microcosm of the daily rebirth of the sun. They imagined the ancient sun god Khepri was a great scarab beetle rolling the sun across the heavens. The scarab also became a symbol of the enduring human soul as well, hence its frequent appearance in funerary art.

The depiction of a man, probably a king, kneeling before an erect cobra covers the under side of this ancient scarab. The king wears a short wig and a knee length pleated kilt, while the cobra's hood is decorated with incised lines. The cobra, or uraeus, represents uto, the protective goddess of Lower Egypt. Portrayed in an angry posture, this female cobra would sit poised on the brow of the pharaoh's headdress, protecting him against his enemies. Should an adversary get close, venomous poison would spew from her mouth. Powerful imagery on this scarab evidences exciting elements of ancient Egyptian dynastic culture. It is truly a civilization whose magic spell reaches across the millennia, captivating us with all its complexities. - (FJ.5115)

Origin: Israel
Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC
Collection: Jewelry
Style: Egyptian Scarab Ring
Medium: Steatite-Gold

Antiquities
Ancient Jewelry