A scarabaeus symbol embodied an elevated religious idea in ancient Egypt, encompassing the Soul's future life, its resurrection from the grave, and most likely its reward or punishment in the next life, depending on its conduct. From the earliest historical knowledge about Ancient Egypt, scarabaeus models pre-existed as symbols of new life and the future eternal life of the triumphant or justified dead. There is an inscription on the lid of the coffin of Men-Kau-Ra, king of the fourth Memphite Dynasty (circa 3633-3600 B.C.) and builder of the Third Pyramid at Giza, confirms that many of the most elevated conceptions of the Per-em-hru, also known as the Book of the Dead, were accepted as truths. During this early period of Osiris' life, the dead One became a living being. In most cases, it predates Mena, the first king of Egypt in history. Based on our current understanding of ancient Egypt's history and thought, it is impossible to predict when his period existed. There is no information available about the indigenous people of Egypt. It is certain that the group known as the Egyptian originated in Asia and was Caucasian in origin. The invader arrived in the Valley of the Nile with an elevated form of religious belief.

Studies of seals and sealing practices have traditionally investigated aspects of social, political, economic, and ideological systems in ancient societies throughout the Old World. Previously, scholarship has focused on description and documentation, chronology and dynastic histories, administrative function, iconography, and style. More recent studies have emphasized context, production and use, and increasingly, identity, gender, and the social lives of seals, their users, and the artisans who produced them. Using several methodological and theoretical perspectives, this volume presents up-to-date research on seals that is comparative in scope and focus. The cross-cultural and interdisciplinary approach advances our understanding of the significance of an important class of material culture of the ancient world. The volume will serve as an essential resource for scholars, students, and others interested in glyptic studies, seal production and use, and sealing practices in the Ancient Near East, Egypt, Ancient South Asia and the Aegean during the 4th-2nd Millennia BCE.

Eleven-year-old Horace j. Edwards is an ordinary boy whose family has just moved to Niles, Michigan. But on the first day of sixth grade, mysterious things start to happen. His grandfather dies and Horace receives a strange gift--a stone scarab beetle. As he works to uncover the secrets surrounding his grandfather's death and the beetle, Horace is transported back in time to the ancient Egyptian city of Amarna. He meets the future pharaoh, young King Tut, and together the two boys become engaged in a fight to save the city from total destruction and Egypt itself from Tut's evil uncle Smenk. In the process, Horace discovers that he is the heir to an order of guardians, known as the Keepers of Time. The Secret of the Scarab Beetle is the first book in the middle-grade fantasy series Horace j. Edwards and the Time Keepers.

The scarab is the single most abundant artifact to have survived from ancient Egypt and hundreds of thousands, if not millions, were made throughout the course of Egyptian history. Today, scarabs continue to be found on excavations throughout Egypt and thousands reside in museum collections around the world. This volume examines these ubiquitous and important artifacts by first considering the unique biology and behavior of the scarab beetle and its incorporation into Egyptian symbolism, religion and art. The development of the scarab amulet is then considered, and the many types of scarab produced by the Egyptians are surveyed. Two particularly important classes of scarab - the heart scarab and the commemorative scarab - are examined in detail. Finally, the export of Egyptian scarabs and their imitation by the nations around Egypt is examined as a tangible mark of the extent of Egypt's influence in the ancient world and of the importance of the scarab itself.

'a true gem' —London Naturalist 'I love this book' —Nick Baker The author completes the book with an identification guide to dung itself, so that you can identify the animal that left it behind. Pellets or pats? Scats, spraints, frass, guano, spoor learn your way around different species droppings. There's also a dung-feeder s identification guide that includes the species you re most likely to encounter on an exploration of the dung heap. Journey through the digestive systems of humans, farm and wild animals, and meet some of nature’s ultimate recyclers as they eat, breed in and compete for dung. The fall of bodily waste onto the ground is the start of a race against the clock as a multitude of dung-feeders and scavengers consume this rich food source. From the enigmatic dung-rolling beetles to bat guano and giant elephant droppings, dung creates a miniature ecosystem to be explored by the aspiring dung watcher. The author completes the book with an identification guide to dung itself, so that you can identify the animal that left it behind. Pellets or pats? Scats, spraints, frass, guano, spoor – learn your way around different species’ droppings. There’s also a dung-feeder’s identification guide that includes the species you’re most likely to encounter on an exploration of the dung heap.

Discover how the ancient Egyptians controlled their immortal destiny! This book, edited by Foy Scalf, explores what the Book of the Dead was believed to do, how it worked, how it was made, and what happened to it.

One morning Khepri, a scarab beetle, meets the Pharaoh, Prince of Egypt, and they become friends. Then Khepri discovers a terrible trap in the Pharaoh's newly built tomb. This hauntingly told and dramatically illustrated story includes an endnote on Pharaohs and tomb building.Ages 6-8