Scarabaeus; Egypt, Lower Egypt, 664- 332 BC.

Scarabaeus; Egypt, Late Antiquity, 664- 332 BC.
Fayenza.
It presents a slight restoration in the upper area.
Measurements: 5 x 3 cm.
Large scarab with lateral holes for fixing or sewing on the funerary bandage, probably as a protective element integrated in the mummy's wrapping. This type of piece belongs to the funerary tradition of Ancient Egypt, where the scarab was one of the most important and widespread amulets.
The dung beetle was associated with the god Jepri, a manifestation of the solar god Ra in his aspect of the rising sun. Its natural behavior, pushing the dung ball, was symbolically interpreted as an image of the movement of the sun and the constant cycle of renewal. For this reason, the scarab became an emblem of transformation, regeneration and resurrection, central values in the Egyptian conception of the afterlife.
In the funerary sphere, scarabs were usually made of stone, often of a green hue, symbolically associated with life and regeneration. Placed on the chest of the deceased or integrated into the mummy's bandages, they fulfilled a protective function linked to the heart, considered the organ of conscience and judgment in the passage to the afterlife. The so-called "scarab of the heart" was intended to prevent this organ from testifying against the deceased during the judgment of Osiris, thus guaranteeing his access to eternal life.