Large Scarab at the British Museum

This is definitely the largest scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 that I have ever seen!  I was shocked when I saw just how big it was in the British Museum! I have honestly never seen anything like it in any of the other museums I have visited!

This scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 represented Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓀭. Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓀭 the god 𓊹 that was associated with the “rising of the sun 𓅃𓈌𓏏𓏭𓀭” (these hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 translate to “sun at dawn”) and thus he is associated with life 𓋹𓈖𓐍 and rebirth. Scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 were extremely popular as amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, and were considered to have the strongest 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 powers. 

The “scarab beetle 𓆣” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 symbol is a determinative, ideogram and phonogram symbol! It is associated with the sound ḫpr (like “Kheper”) is also used to write the words “evolve,” “manifestation,” and “become.”

From a geologic perspective, this scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is made of the rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 diorite.  Diorite is an intrusive igneous rock (meaning it forms underground from the solidification of magma). Diorite is an extremely durable rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 (one of the strongest found on Earth 𓇾𓇾), and is comparable to granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 in terms of strength and method of formation.  

However, diorite usually doesn’t contain a lot quartz 𓏠𓈖𓏌𓈙, a very strong 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 mineral which is abundant in granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿, hence the difference between the two 𓏻 rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦. One of the reasons why this scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is so well preserved, is probably due to the strength of the diorite!  Diorite, like granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿, was usually mined by the Egyptians in Aswan 𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓌕𓊖

As you all know, ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 is one of my biggest passions, however I actually have degrees in Earth and Environmental science! I love combining my passions for Egyptian history and geology together 𓈖𓊗!