The scarab beetle was an exceedingly popular symbol in the art of Ancient Egypt, thought to represent the sun god, Ra. The Ancient Egyptians believed that the scarab beetle rolling its ball of dung across the desert mirrored the journey of the sun across the sky from day to night. As the beetle laid its eggs within the dung, it became a symbol of rebirth and regeneration. These scarab beetle amulets were made in various forms, such as heart scarabs, commemorative scarabs, and scarab amulets, thus catering to different functions. Many scarabs have been found inside the wrapping of mummies to ensure a safe journey into the afterlife, but amulets were also used by the living for protection or in order to have their wishes granted. It was during the First Intermediate Period that the traditional form of the scarab was developed, with previous scarab amulets place on a decorated oval base. Decorative geometric and linear patterns were very common on the earliest scarab types.
The First Intermediate Period was a dynamic time in which the rule of Egypt was divided almost equally between Heracleopolis in ‘Lower Egypt’ and Thebes in ‘Upper Egypt’. During this time, as a result of the political chaos, temples, artwork, and statues were vandalised and damaged. The turmoil would come to head and Egypt would eventually be reunified under Mentuhotep II, marking the beginning of the Middle Kingdom Period.
