The scarab ππͺπππ£ is the personification is the god πΉ Khepri π£πππ. The scarab ππͺπππ£ amulets ππͺπ πͺ were said to be the most powerful of amulets ππͺπ πͺ because the the ancient Egyptians πππππͺ believed that the dung beetle (which the scarab was fashioned after) was capable of eternal regeneration. Khepri π£πππ was considered to be the god πΉ of the morning sun π³πΊ, and was usually depicted as a scarab ππͺπππ£, or as a human body with a scarab ππͺπππ£ for a head πΆπΊ! Due to his ties with the sun π³πΊ, Khepri π£πππ was considered to be an aspect of the sun π³πΊ god πΉ Ra π³πΊπ!
The god πΉ Khepri π£πππ symbolizes a βlife cycleβ – birth, death, and then rebirth in the afterlife πΌπΏππ. This cycle was essential to Egyptian religious beliefs, as Egyptians πππππͺ spent their lives preparing for death π ππ± and entering the Duat πΌπΏππ (afterlife).
One of the best things about the MET are these little galleries that are offshoots of the main galleries – there are some real treasures (such as this scarab ππͺπππ£ display) hidden away here! Honestly I love these little galleries more than the main areas – itβs almost like having a private museum!