The humble scarab

The dung beetle, as seen here on my morning walk today, was considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians. 'The scarab embodies the God Khepri who propels the sun out of the darkness of the underworld and across the sky.' (Quirke 35-6) This imagery is based on the dung beetle gathering a ball of dung which sometimes can be so big that the beetle is forced into almost a vertical position displaying a persistence and resoluteness of mind that the Egyptians so admired.

A symbol of Rebirth (in the rising sun), persistence and strength of character. Next time you cross paths with the humble dung beetle, perhaps you will pay him the respect he is due.

Photo copyright SvD.