Why was the SCARAB beetle so important?
It was a symbol of immortality. How did an insect get to be the symbol of eternal life? The SCARAB rolled its eggs into a ball of dung. When the eggs hatched and new life crawled out of “nothingness,” it looked like magic to the Egyptians. Such a creature must surely be able to help bring the dead back to life, as well. They believed a winged scarab rolled the sun across the sky and caused it to be “born” again. So, what do you pack for the afterlife? Containers of all shapes and sizes were vital to this life and the next. They meant survival. Storing and protecting the essentials of life — food, water, oil, grain, and beer — as well as perfumes, ointments, and make-up. Clothing, furniture, amulets (good luck charms) and jewelry made the top of the list, too. The Egyptians believed that USHABTIS (SHAWABTIS) worked the crops in the Fields of the Blessed. The USHABTIS were little mummy-shaped statues that would stand up in the afterlife to answer “Here I am!” for the deceased.
