The scarab beetle (or dung beetle) was a green faience ceramic amulet crafted in the shape of a dung beetle, used by the ancient Egyptians for decoration.

The form of the scarab is based on a black beetle known for its habit of shaping balls of dung or decaying matter, placing its eggs inside them, and then rolling the ball forward to store it in a burrow, where the larvae would later feed on it.

Among the unusual depictions found in the Valley of the Kings is that of a large black beetle emerging from the sand, pulling a glowing sphere. The Greek writer Plutarch explained this image—without straying far from the ancient Egyptian interpretation—by saying:

“As for the scarab beetle, it is believed that there are no females among them and that all are males. They place their seed in a small ball of material, shape it into a sphere, and roll it behind them with their hind legs, imitating the movement of the sun from east to west.”

The Egyptians used scarabs for various purposes, including as seals, similar to cylindrical or animal-shaped seals and large gold rings. When mounted on rings or necklaces, they could be used to seal jars, letters, and locks, protecting them from tampering or theft.

They were also carried as amulets for protection against evil, as it was believed that the beetle renewed itself. The ancient Egyptians associated this renewal with the sun god Ra, comparing the beetle rolling its ball through the sand to the sun’s journey across the sky.

Thus, the ancient Egyptians represented Ra as the solar disk by day, and as a scarab beetle by night, symbolizing the sun’s disappearance beneath the earth and its rebirth each morning.