Scarab beetles are the orderlies of sandy soils. Holy Scarab

The African continent has a rich animal world, special place it is occupied by animals that are still considered sacred. The scarab beetle is held in special esteem by the Egyptians and other African peoples; in some villages it is still worshiped, just as it was thousands of years ago.

Photo and description of the scarab beetle

It is difficult to find an adult who has not heard about scarabs; for most, they are associated with Egypt, the pyramids, and the pharaohs. But you can also find it on other continents of the globe. Once you know what a known insect looks like, it will be easier to identify it.

A photo of a scarab beetle will tell you a lot about the insect, characteristic features appearances are:

Black color throughout the body; adults have a shiny sheen. It is extremely rare to find a representative with a metallic gray color. The green scarab beetle is fictitious; this color is not typical for an insect.
The shape of the body is oval-elongated, with a durable chitinous coating.
The head is small relative to the body; it has a clypeus with teeth to facilitate food extraction.

On a note!
The distinctive features of the male and female are the red fringe on the hind pair of legs; nature has endowed this decoration with the stronger half. Unites this type insects have vegetation on their abdomen and legs. Long hairs are considered business card as are the four teeth on the front pair of legs, which are used for digging and forming food into balls for easier transport.

The sizes of individuals may vary. The beetle in Egypt reaches 41 mm in length. There are also smaller individuals - only 9.5 mm in more northern regions.

Where does it live?

Most of us are sure that the insect's habitat is quite limited. But this opinion is wrong; the dung-ball-rolling insect is found not only in Africa. The peddler beetle, or beetle, is common north of the Himalayas in Europe and Asia. In the Eastern Hemisphere, it failed to take root only in Australia. The Western Hemisphere did not become a home for him at all.

Due to the large accumulation of manure, insects are periodically imported to other continents; they cope with the problem, but they fail to take root either in Australia or on the American continent.

What does it eat?

The Egyptians believed that there were scarabs that eat people, they crawl under the skin through the ears, nose and eat a person from the inside.

Interesting!
Science has proven that the carnivorous species of beetles does not exist; the studied species are absolutely safe for people and animals.

Their diet consists of manure, which is what earned them universal love back in ancient times. capable of processing within a short time a large number of manure that remains when keeping domestic animals. Scarabs can also be considered orderlies in wildlife. It would take four thousand scarabs just an hour to clear an average pile of dung.

In the middle zone, beetles begin their active life as soon as the air warms up. They do cleansing only during the day until mid-summer, and then they switch to night look life. For normal existence for 10-14 days, the scarab needs one ball of dung, five times the size of the insect itself. The beetle rolls it into a pre-dug hole near its home and digs it in. This is how a young beetle acts, more mature age The male and female store larger amounts of manure for future use. It is with the help of waste of this type that procreation in these insects is possible.

In order to prepare food for itself, the scarab rolls a ball of dung, and it does it quite funny:

the basis is most often a small round piece of feces;
with the edge of its head, the insect seems to cut off small pieces of manure;
presses the torn piece into the ball with its front and hind paws;
the middle pair of paws holds the lump tightly, not letting go until the formation process is completed.

The beetle rolls the finished ball into a safe shelter in a shaded place. On the way he is very careful, because smaller beetles are in more can take away prey without any problems. And relatives of the same build will not disdain ready-made food.

Interesting!
Manure not only helps scarabs live, the appearance of offspring also depends on it. The female and male stock up on a sufficient amount of manure, lay it out in their burrows, and then the female lays eggs in specially fashioned capsules. Until the pupal state, they feed on the dung that their parents stored for them.

Correct name

In Europe, the scarab beetle has many interpretations of the name; the dung beetle is called differently. The most common is the beetle, but this is an incorrect spelling. All explanatory dictionaries They say that it is correct to write and pronounce scarab.

Residents middle zone in fairy tales the insect is called a peddler, which is also incorrect.

Information about insects

The beetle became famous Egyptian pyramids, where a large number of his images were found in the form of drawings on walls and papyrus.

The ancient Egyptians revered the beetle as a god; it was often depicted with human body and the head of an insect, there are images of a beetle on a circle. Because of the plate with teeth on its head, the scarab was considered a deity close to the sun; it was called Kheper.

Until a certain time, it was believed that insects were cannibals. It was with them that they frightened archaeologists and grave robbers, claiming that the Egyptian scarab beetle under the skin would quickly deal with a person if he ended up in the burial of the pharaoh or took some thing from the grave.

Interesting!
Scarabs were indeed found in the tombs of the pharaohs of Egypt; according to legend, they were placed in the grave to protect rulers in the other world from negativity.

Nowadays, faith in the magical power of the scarab has not disappeared; you can often find such an image as a talisman among many influential people. At one time it was fashionable and prestigious to wear a tie pin with a scarab, and the inlay was made with green precious stones. Accessories and Jewelry they also do it with such symbolism that it should bring health and longevity to the owner.

The scarab beetle is quite common around the globe. There is no need to be afraid of him, he is not at all dangerous to people, the ancient Egyptians came to this conclusion. It was not for nothing that he was revered as a deity, ranking him with the gods Ra, Osiris, Thoth and Horus. Rather, on the contrary, if this insect did not help in removing manure from forests and fields, then Earth I would have been stuck in this waste a long time ago.

The Egyptian scarab beetle is often found in feature films about the tombs of the pharaohs. As a rule, these insects do not cause positive emotions, and sometimes even evoke fear, as in the film “The Mummy,” where beetles brought death to those who dared to disturb the peace of the tomb.

Can an amulet in the form of a sacred insect be useful and what meaning does the symbol of the scarab beetle carry since the times of Ancient Egypt? Let’s try to figure it out.

Ancient Egyptian mythology contains many interesting legends about the image of the scarab beetle, here are some of them:

The ancient Egyptians associated the image of the scarab beetle with the movement of the Sun across the sky. Most likely, this is due to his way of rolling a dung ball - in many images that have survived to this day, the sacred scarab similarly rolled the Sun across the sky. The people also believed that all animals originated from the sacred waters of the Nile River, while the scarab beetle came from the golden sandy deserts. Therefore, the insect was compared with the sunrise god Khepri. Since then, the first amulets began to appear depicting Khepri with the head of a scarab beetle. They were made from stones and then covered with green or gold paint.
The most common myth about Egyptian scarabs is that they are the guardians of souls after death until the dead are transported to the kingdom of the dead. Therefore, in ancient tombs there are a lot of figurines and images of scarabs - the Egyptians called on them to protect the dead.

The Egyptians inserted a scarab figurine into the body of the deceased. Even in those ancient times, people understood that a person’s life depends on the heart. Therefore, when preparing a body for burial, the heart was removed, and a figurine of the guardian of the soul was placed in its place - it was believed that without it a person would not be resurrected in the afterlife.

The people of Ancient Egypt sincerely believed–beyond death, life is no worse. Therefore, the beetle was a talisman for them, helping them move towards a new, better life.

Since the times of Ancient Egypt, many different objects have been found that are not entirely clear in meaning. modern science. One of the groups of these treasures are mysterious and talismans. Among them, in addition to the well-known and, quite often one comes across objects with the image of the soul guardian beetle:

pendants;
signets;
brooches;
pendants;
figurines;
statues;
drawings on frescoes and bladed weapons;
images of people with a scarab pattern on their skin.

The scarab beetle can often be found on ancient Egyptian frescoes.

In our century, you can find a variety of interior items with a sacred insect applied to them. Most often these are paintings, watches, small figurines, boxes and dishes. Scarab-shaped pendants and brooches are also common. Occasionally you can see a watch decorated with his image, or a keychain in the shape of the keeper of souls.

The meaning of the scarab beetle amulet

To this day, the scarab beetle is used as an amulet that protects the human soul from grief, problems, helping to overcome difficulties on the way to life goal. Only those who know the true meaning of this Egyptian symbol and believe in the power of solar energy can use the amulet.

As in ancient times, today the image of an insect is applied to jewelry and household items, and small figurines in the form of a beetle are made. As a rule, stones of various colors are inserted into jewelry. Since the beetle symbolizes the path from the past to a better future, it is recommended to purchase items with turquoise. This shade is considered the color of rebirth and transition from past life to a new one.

Luxor has a scarab beetle statue that is very popular among tourists.

Many psychics and magicians, believing in the power of the sacred Egyptian insect, put its image on their ritual objects. An amulet with a scarab beetle is often found today in the form of a pendant or ring.

People who understand the meaning of a scarab tattoo sometimes use its image, combining it with ancient hieroglyphs. By the way, for men, a tattoo in the form of an Egyptian beetle takes on the meaning of wisdom and the victory of light over darkness. For women, the sign helps preserve beauty, youth and women's health.

In what cases should you get a talisman?

The talisman, depending on its use, has different effects on its owner. Experts identify several areas of influence:

With absence family happiness If you have problems communicating with children or with a loved one, you need to place a piece of interior decor in the form of an Egyptian beetle approximately in the center of your home - the amulet will reflect the evil energy of strangers and strengthen love feelings.
If there are problems at work (with colleagues or career development), a small figurine or wall decoration in the office will help reflect negative energy, will bring good luck and give a feeling of self-confidence.
The jewelry will only help its owner; the influence will not extend to his relatives. This version of the amulet is relevant in case of health problems or the presence of ill-wishers in the immediate environment. The symbol will attract solar energy to improve the health of its owner and protect against enemies.
It will also be useful for people in military, security and rescue professions to wear a beetle as a warrior’s amulet. The sacred insect will repel a threat to life and health.
For students, such a talisman will help attract good luck to their studies and strengthen the desire for knowledge.

The Scarab Beetle talisman has many meanings, and it can act in different ways.

After purchasing a personal talisman, it is recommended to use it so that strangers do not see the amulet - for example, hide the pendant behind the collar of your clothes. If you tell about its existence and show it to strangers, it is aimed at the owner Magic force may change direction and the achieved result will be lost.

As soon as you have the amulet, activate it: press it to your chest with both hands and mentally ask the scarab beetle for help. Amulet rendering strong defense, accumulates all the negativity that comes from the outside. Therefore, periodically, about once a week, it needs to be cleaned: hold it under running water for several minutes to get rid of negative energy, and then put it under bright Sun rays for several hours to accumulate positive power. It is advisable that no one is at home at the time of cleansing and recharging the amulet.

Which amulet to choose

Experts in mythology and esotericism say that no amulet can be purchased just like that. For the amulet to really work, it must be selected individually. To do this, they recommend relying on some rules:

The amulet protects the place in which it is constantly located. If jewelry is purchased, it will protect the person personally, his health and energy background. This can be a pendant, pendant or necklace. It should be hung closer to the heart. For men, a ring with a beetle image is best.
Before purchasing, you need to decide which area of life most requires the help of a sacred insect.
When purchasing a talisman, initially think about the purpose of its acquisition. Thus, he will immediately begin to tune in to the necessary energy wave.
There should not be any inscriptions on the amulet - they make its power weaker. Moreover, sometimes the words are written in an unfamiliar language. Purchasing an amulet, for example, with the inscription “to attract money”, when in fact it is necessary “for health”, distorts its effect.

IN Orthodox Christianity There is a ban on wearing any talismans at the same time as an amulet or a cross. Therefore, believers in Christ are not recommended to turn to the symbols of another religion for help and protection.

Talisman as a gift

Holy Scarab Well suited as a gift to loved ones. Most often they choose figurines or paintings depicting a beetle. Female relatives can choose a piece of jewelry, and male relatives can choose a ring with a carved scarab. When choosing a gift, you need to be mentally inclined only to the good. When presenting a gift, you need to tell the new owner about the meaning of this sign and the rules for its use.

A talisman obtained in this way can serve no worse than one purchased independently. Of course, in this case, the donor must choose an amulet, knowing in advance who and for what it will be used.

You cannot accept a gift in the form of an Egyptian talisman from strangers or people you barely know - it is unknown with what thoughts the person is presenting it.

The scarab beetle is one of the most revered symbols. It was believed that this small beetle follows the path of the Sun. In Egyptian mythology, the scarab was revered as a sacred insect of the Sun gods and was considered a symbol of creative power and rebirth in the afterlife.

In fact, the scarab beetle is one of the types of dung beetle familiar to us all.

Sacred Scarab Beetle

Some may be surprised by the fact that in Ancient Egypt the common dung beetle was considered a real idol. Moreover, even today, some Egyptians still believe that the scarab beetle brings happiness and happiness.

In this article we have selected for you the most Interesting Facts about the scarab beetle, as well as amulets and jewelry with this insect.

Typically, scarabs live in regions with warm climate. They reach a length of 2 to 4 cm, and their bodies are covered with black shells. Having found a pile of dung, these beetles immediately begin to make balls out of it.

The scarab first makes a small ball of dung and then begins to roll it forward until a large round ball is formed. Very often, the ball made by the beetle exceeds its own dimensions.

There are cases when scarabs, not wanting to work, forcefully take ready-made balls from their relatives. An interesting fact is that scarab beetles roll dung balls strictly from east to west, always focusing only on the Sun.

In search of the most suitable place for themselves, they are able to roll their lump over a distance of 20-40 meters. After this, they lay eggs in the ball and then bury it in the soil for 4 weeks.

When the time is up, the scarabs dig up their balls and immerse them in the liquid. After a certain period of time, small bugs begin to appear from them.

Scarab beetle and Egypt

Why did the Egyptians worship the scarab as a deity? The fact is that they considered it symbolic that the beetles roll their balls from east to west, that is, in the same direction in which the Sun moves.

According to myths, the Sun comes from darkness and then rises during the day. The Scarab also follows the Solar route, resurrecting from a dung ball.

According to legend by God, those who know the secrets of the Sun, Khepri appeared. He was depicted with the head of a scarab rolling the Sun across the sky.

Thus, the scarab beetle represented the birth of new life. The ancient Egyptians were confident that Khepri the scarab protected them not only during life on earth, but also in the other world.

They believed that even in human remains the soul is preserved. Immediately after a person dies, she rises into the sky and continues to live there.

It is for this reason that when the body was mummified, the heart was removed from it in advance, and a scarab figurine was placed in its place.

In addition, precious items with an image of a scarab holding a solar disk were placed on the chest of the deceased.

These beetles were painted on many things: on jewelry, boxes, talismans and other objects. The Egyptians believed that data could empower people great strength and helped people cope with their life difficulties.

Scarab figures were often made from green stones, as it was believed that this color symbolizes rebirth. Skilled craftsmen wrote words about the sacrament of resurrection on jewelry.

Drawings with scarab beetles are found during archaeological excavations of tombs, as well as on ancient papyri. Some finds date back to 3-4 thousand years BC. e.

One of the most famous and revered scarab statues is located in the Karnak Temple, built near Luxor. They were very popular on the body, since the Egyptians were confident that life in the other world was much more important than earthly life.

So, a tattoo with a scarab represented something like an entrance to the afterlife.

In conclusion, it should be said that the ancient Egyptians took everyday things extremely seriously, resorting to animism (belief in the animation of nature) and zoolatry (worship).

Photo of scarab beetle

Photos of scarab beetles often differ. And the point here is not a mistake, but the fact that there really are several types of them. Below are photos of a scarab beetle.

Scarab tattoo

Scarab beetle - represents arthropod insect, having hard wings and antennae resembling plates. A functional feature of the antennae is that they can open up like a fan. Refers to sandy soil orderlies.

Habitat

They prefer arid and hot areas with sandy soils. The scarab beetle lives in the desert, semi-desert, dry steppe, and savannah.

Habitat

The majority live in tropical Africa, in the territory Western Europe. They can also be found in Ukraine, in the regions of Crimea, Dagestan, Georgia, Spain, France, Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Arabia, and the lower Volga.

Appearance

There are about 100 varieties in total. Egyptian scarab beetles have a black carapace and range from 1 to 4 cm in length. The body has a wide and oval shape, covered with chitin (a durable covering). Young individuals have a matte color, old and worn ones have a shiny color.

The abdomen and legs are covered with dark brown hairs and fluff. Males are distinguished by a bright red fringe with a golden tint, located on the inside of the hind legs. On the head of the scarab beetle, a transverse shape is located with a clypeus with teeth. The front legs are also equipped with teeth.

Nutrition

The main diet is cattle excrement and. He loves horseback the most. He willingly rolls it into balls different sizes, then buries it in the ground for later use as food.

The scarab beetle feeds on a dung ball until it completely eats it, all this time it lives in the place where it was buried. These balls are created only from fresh manure before it dries out. The beetle can also eat decomposed organic products. Rotten leaves, flowers and grass.

Reproduction

Before mating, a couple of the opposite sex begins to prepare food for future use, for the offspring. First, Egyptian scarab beetles dig deep holes (from 10 to 30 cm) with their paws. After digging, the male crawls away, but the female remains.

She sculpts oval shapes from the dung for each egg separately. Then she makes a hole in each dung ball and lays an egg there. After this, the entrance to the hole is covered.

The life cycle consists of 4 stages

Egg (from 5 to 12 days);
Larva (1 month);
Pupa (14 days);
Adult.

Lifespan

All stages take about 2 months. The sacred scarab beetle lives for about 3 months.

Enemies

Due to the fact that it is very noticeable and slow, it is an easy prey for birds and some mammals. It is hunted by crows and small ones (moles, hedgehogs and others). They are eaten in large numbers.

But there is a more dangerous enemy. This is a tick that is capable of breaking through the protective chitinous layer in order to drink all its blood. It often happens that one scarab beetle is attacked by several mites at once.

The beetle is the strongest and hardest working insect in the whole world.
Has great strength, and is capable of moving 90 times its own weight.
Can create a perfectly smooth geometric figure- a sphere that can essentially be called a unique natural skill.

Egyptian mythology, symbol, meaning

The scarab beetle is a symbol of Egypt. According to legend, it resembles the path of the Sun, and was born from the desert sands. In ancient times, the Egyptians associated it with the symbol of solar power, and with rebirth in the afterlife.

Even the mythological creator, the world and the man of God in ancient Egypt were depicted with the head of the Scarab Beetle. In Egypt, many sculptures, amulets and decorations in the form of a sacred beetle have been preserved. His images are found in tombs, sculptures and other historical structures.

Scarabs extract moisture from the fog. He stands against the wind and spreads his wings. After a certain time, moisture appears on the high parts of the scarab beetle's head, collecting in a drop. Then this drop flows directly into his mouth. During flight, the wings do not fully open, which violates all the laws of aerodynamics. Makes a masterly flight that even a bird would envy.

The scarab beetle amulet with its image has the ability to protect the owner from evil forces, negative circumstances, create harmony in energy, and give self-confidence.

In the ideas of the ancient Egyptians, the scarab beetle, rolling a dung ball along the ground with its hind legs, was the personification of the supernatural viviparous forces of nature. The Egyptians believed that the stubborn and purposeful beetle originates on its own and is therefore similar to deities, such as the ancient solar god Khepri and other gods, creators of man, the world and the Universe, who arose on their own. The Egyptians considered the ball created from dung to be a symbol eternal life, since he was like the sun, and the hard-working beetle allegedly repeated the heavenly path of the sun on earth and at the same time he, like the sun, emitted light and heat. It is no coincidence that the god Khepri was often depicted with the head of a scarab beetle.

In Egyptian it was called khepru, which meant “to live, to exist,” in Greek it was called scarab, which simply meant beetle. According to legend, the god Osiris reigned over Egypt, he taught people agriculture, gardening and winemaking, but was killed by his brother, the god Set, who was jealous of his wealth and power. He chopped the dead man's body into pieces. According to some sources, into 13 parts, according to others - into 42 and transported them to the provinces of Egypt, and threw the head into the Nile. The head sailed to Abydos, a town located on the western bank of the river, where the head was buried. Since then, Abydos has become the burial place of the first Egyptian rulers. The scarab that appeared from the head of Osiris announced that Osiris had risen from the dead, moved to the heavenly world, and began new stage his existence.

Having endowed the scarab with all conceivable divine powers and virtues, the Egyptians gradually turned it into the most secret and desired talisman, which should accompany a person during life and go with him to the kingdom of the dead, where he would not part with him. In the kingdom of the dead, the scarab already personified the power of a never-dying heart, which helped a person get rid of the shortcomings he had during life and be reborn again. With the help of the scarab talisman, a person became able to overcome all obstacles encountered on his way, he was renewed and could return to the world of the living, then the person died again and was resurrected renewed, and so on endlessly. Therefore, the figurine of a scarab from precious stones They put it inside the mummy in place of the removed heart.

The scarab and the legend of its divine origin were so popular in Ancient Egypt that images of the dung beetle were found on the walls of many dwellings, were present in all funeral complexes, and monuments were created to it. Carvers made his figurines from precious stones, decorated them with gold patterns, and this is how sacred talismans and amulets.

Sometimes you can see a scarab with its wings spread. Such beetles meant that they had completed their mission on earth and were ready to go to heaven, to the sources that gave birth to them. There are also stone figurines of scarabs holding a ball in their paws - a symbol of the fiery sun. A beetle with a ball in its paws means the birth of a new life, which promises to give impetus to human renewal.

Thus, an inconspicuous insect, the scarab beetle, in Ancient Egypt gradually acquired the features of a god who accompanied man during life and after death, becoming eternal symbol a soul living outside of time and space.