The scarab beetle served as a symbol - an icon- to the people who worshiped it not as simply an insect that came into close contact with less than desirable substances, but as a strong, necessary component to everyday life. The scarab beetle was the basis for the creation of the god Khepri, who rolled the sun into the sky everyday. Without the sun, life would not go on, ergo, Khepri was a necessity (2). The sun was recognized as being such an integral part of life (rightly so, they were right on the money even thousands of years ago) that the ancient Egyptians actually had multiple gods to represent the sun but Khepri is one of the most popular gods recognized by our western society now in contemporary times.
Even the actual dung in this story is significant; it represents the "cycle of rebirth" (2). The dung was deposited by an adult female but was the crucial component for the growth of the hatched egg, so it was recognized as a very important aspect of the life cycle. The sun in this metaphor is the dung, which may sound odd initially but it makes complete sense when you remember how important the ancient Egyptians hailed the dung to be. It was the cause for sustainability for the life of this species, just like how our sun is the reason we are able to live sustainability now (in addition to components like oxygen, but obviously it plays a crucial role).
Even the actual dung in this story is significant; it represents the "cycle of rebirth" (2). The dung was deposited by an adult female but was the crucial component for the growth of the hatched egg, so it was recognized as a very important aspect of the life cycle. The sun in this metaphor is the dung, which may sound odd initially but it makes complete sense when you remember how important the ancient Egyptians hailed the dung to be. It was the cause for sustainability for the life of this species, just like how our sun is the reason we are able to live sustainability now (in addition to components like oxygen, but obviously it plays a crucial role).
![Picture](/uploads/2/9/9/7/29974141/3192691.jpg?213)
The Khepri could be seen in many aspects of ancient Egyptian everyday life; the symbol was turned into jewelry to protect the owner when worn, and was depicted in many pieces of artwork (often including other gods, there were hundreds of them!). The scarab was also often turned into an amulet which could then be worn like jewelry, or buried with a mummy to offer safety in the afterlife (6). The popularity of the scarab amulet in particular lasted for hundreds of years through the dynastic period (7).
Here is an image of a scarab amulet:
The scarab beetle is just as important to us now, but it is for a different reason. In terms of agricultural importance, the dung beetle tackles a huge job! These insects consume a "food" that not many other creatures want to indulge in, and by doing so they deposit important nutrients back into the soil. Additionally, while they can feed off the excrement of many species, they seem to prefer the waste of very large mammals which definitely helps with clean up (9).